The country suffered another nationwide power outage on Friday after a failure in high-voltage transmission lines caused the country’s fragile electricity grid to collapse. The blackout left millions without power, with only limited electricity restored in parts of Havana by Friday evening. Cuba has now experienced at least six partial or total grid collapses since January, including three in July. The island’s aging thermoelectric plants have struggled with years of inadequate maintenance, while severe fuel shortages have placed additional pressure on the system. The crisis worsened after the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January and subsequent measures that largely halted Venezuelan oil deliveries to Cuba. Venezuela supplied 61% of Cuba’s imported crude in 2025, according to S&P Global. Cuba was already grappling with an escalating energy crisis earlier this year, when a previous nationwide blackout left millions without electricity. Rolling outages can now last more than 30 hours in some areas.
