Cuba’s power grid collapses in nationwide blackout
The short version
Cuba’s electricity grid collapsed on Sunday, causing a nationwide blackout. This is the fourth major outage in recent weeks, following three in July.
Cuba’s national electricity grid collapsed on Sunday, August 2, 2026, plunging the entire country into darkness.2,1 The blackout follows three nationwide outages in July 2026, marking the fourth major grid failure in recent weeks.3,1 Reports cited fuel shortages as a contributing factor to the grid collapse, with the US-imposed oil blockade on Cuba mentioned as a cause.3,1
The Independent reported that the US-imposed oil blockade has crippled Cuba’s already aging energy infrastructure.1 Deutsche Welle stated that the blackout occurred amid a US-imposed oil blockade on the communist island.3 Al Jazeera noted that the grid failure followed a weekend of localized outages before the nationwide collapse.2
Why it matters
Cuba’s electricity grid relies heavily on imported fuel, much of which has been restricted by US sanctions since the 1960s, though the current blockade began in 2019.3,1
The US oil blockade refers to restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba, which have intensified in recent years, limiting the country’s ability to maintain or repair its energy infrastructure.3,1
This account was written from the 3 reports listed below, filed by 3 independent outlets, and checked against them line by line. It is not a copy of any one of them. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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