The energy crisis coincides with Cuba’s cautious reforms, including permitting foreign-assisted fuel imports and enabling private companies to participate in wholesale fuel markets as part of broader economic changes.

Fuel scarcity and the embargo have slowed restoration efforts by limiting fuel for power plants and backup generators, reducing grid reliability.

Cuba’s grid relies on seven aging thermo-electric plants over four decades old, with fuel shortages complicating diesel-fired generators amid a US petroleum embargo.

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz said reforms would be gradual and that the hardest stage is just beginning, signaling a cautious, ongoing shift in policy.

Cuba suffered another nationwide blackout as the state energy firm UNE reported a total disconnection of the national electricity system, including Havana, driven by aging infrastructure and a prolonged energy crisis.

The report cites multiple sources, including DIE ZEIT, Reuters, AFP, and mns, with updated timestamps and a linked author profile.

The government blames the United States for restricting oil supplies and financing, while others point to underinvestment and mismanagement in the energy sector.

There have been indirect political developments, such as US indictments related to historical events and Cuba pursuing free-market reforms to boost the economy.

The Ministry of Energy stated that reactivation protocols were in place as officials work to restore electricity nationwide, noting the outage occurred in the evening.

The outage is part of a pattern of 2026 blackouts, with multiple events in July and one occasion that left about 10 million people without power at once.

Since January, fuel imports have been constrained by US actions, with only a single Russian tanker delivering 100,000 tonnes of crude in March, worsening shortages for diesel-powered generators.

The outage disrupted daily life—water, fans, and other services failed—prompting residents to protest, including by burning trash and banging pots.