For Cuba, where nearly 10 million people live
For Cuba, where nearly 10 million people live, this is the eighth power outage since late 2024 and at least the third in the last six months — since January 2026 when the US began an energy blockade of the island by cutting off oil and petroleum product supplies.
Consensus
- Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout affecting around 10 million people.
- The blackout occurred in July 2026, following a series of similar events since late 2024.
- The national power grid failed completely, with no electricity supply across the country.
- The state-owned energy operator UNE confirmed the outage and launched an investigation into its causes.
- Recovery efforts are underway, including restoration work and activation of emergency protocols.
- U.S. sanctions on oil and fuel shipments to Cuba since January 2026 have worsened the energy crisis.
- Cuba's domestic fuel production covers only about 40% of national needs.
- Fuel reserves from a Russian tanker delivered in March were exhausted by late April 2026.
- The government has implemented planned, prolonged power outages (up to 70 hours) across the country.
Points of divergence
- This blackout is the third nationwide outage in six months and the eighth since late 2024. — vesti
- The U.S. energy blockade began in January 2026, with restrictions on oil and petroleum product deliveries. — meduza
- Reuters attributes the increased outages partly to poorly maintained power infrastructure, but primarily to the U.S. oil embargo. — kommersant
- The Cuban government proposed nearly 200 market-oriented reforms in the previous month, which did not change Washington’s stance. — vedomosti
- At the time of the blackout, two-thirds of the country was already without electricity. — fontanka
Coverage (5 sources)
- Cuba Experiences Third Nationwide Blackout in Six Months Due to US — Вести
- Blackout on Cuba — Third in Six Months — Meduza
- Mass blackout occurs in Cuba — Коммерсантъ
- Another blackout occurs in Cuba — Ведомости
- Cuba's National Power Grid Failed; 10 Million People Left Without Electricity — Фонтанка