Cuba: Further blackouts disrupt energy restoration attempts

Cuba's ongoing struggle to restore electricity following a series of blackouts faced further setbacks on Monday as a second nationwide power cut struck the national grid, marking the sixth such incident this year. While power began to return to certain areas of Havana and central and western provinces by midday, restoring electricity to about half of the capital, the state electricity provider cautioned that unfavorable weather continued to disrupt the restoration process.

The provider attributed the repeated disruptions to "existing weather events" affecting the grid, particularly the generator units that were operational. Despite the challenges, authorities reported some progress by early evening, with four generating units at Energas Jaruco operational and several transmission substations around Havana re-energized.

Cuba, home to roughly 10 million people, has been grappling with frequent power outages since the beginning of the year. These outages have significantly impacted businesses, public services, and daily life, with most Cubans now experiencing electricity only for a few hours daily. The government attributes the issue to decades of United States sanctions and embargoes, which limit access to essential resources such as fuel, financing, and spare parts needed to maintain the power system.

The Trump administration's recent tightening of sanctions and an oil embargo have further exacerbated the situation. Washington argues that the outages are a consequence of Cuba's state-run economic model.