Cuba's nationwide power grid collapses, leaving millions without electricity.
Cuba's power grid collapsed Friday, causing a nationwide blackout. The Ministry of Energy and Mines announced the outage on its official X account.
- 9 million people across the island were left without power.
- 5% of Havana's roughly 862,000 customers had power restored by dusk.
- A transmission failure in western Cuba triggered the collapse, spreading east to Matanzas and beyond.
- Unstable weather conditions worsened the grid's situation, according to state newspaper Granma.
Why it matters: Cuba's grid has suffered repeated total collapses over the past two years, driven by an acute economic crisis.
- Nationwide blackouts hit in early August, July, and March, plus multiple regional outages.
- Even when the grid functions, rolling blackouts lasting more than 30 consecutive hours are common.
How 10 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the facts of the collapse but differs on how prominently to frame the role of U.S. restrictions versus Cuba's aging infrastructure and economic mismanagement.
Center coverage, 4 sources: The center reports the collapse factually, citing fuel shortages, deteriorating infrastructure, and the U.S. oil blockade as compounding factors without prioritizing any one cause.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left emphasizes U.S. energy restrictions as a primary driver of the crisis and highlights the human toll on ordinary Cubans through on-the-ground accounts.
Fox News9hCuba plunges into total blackout as electrical grid collapses again, US Embassy warns
New York Post4hCuba hit with another blackout as millions across the island are left without electricity
RedState10hCuba's Power Grid Completely Collapses
The Washington Times11hCuba hit with another blackout as millions across the island are left without electricityWhat’s next: Authorities are establishing power micro-islands in Camagüey, Pinar del Río, and Granma provinces.
- Hospital and emergency-facility power systems were being reactivated as a priority.
- How quickly full grid restoration will be achieved is not specified by Cuban authorities.
- Whether diplomatic or policy changes could ease Cuba's fuel supply situation remains unresolved.