Cuba power grid collapse leaves millions without electricity again
One Cuba resident said there is "no way to know" when power will be restored to the island nation.
Cuba experienced a power grid collapse on Friday, leaving millions without electricity for the sixth time since President Trump imposed fuel restrictions in January. The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported the outage, which began with a failure in western transmission lines. The eastern part of the island was subsequently disconnected due to unstable weather conditions.
By dusk, power had been restored to just 5% of users in Havana, home to 862,000 customers. Micro-islands of power distribution were established in Camagüey, Pinar del Río, and Granma provinces, while services for hospitals and emergency facilities were being reactivated. Residents expressed frustration, with one woman stating, "You have no idea the situation here."
The frequent blackouts have exacerbated Cuba's economic crisis, worsening since the U.S. imposed an energy blockade. The recent outages, following others in July, August, March, and numerous regional blackouts, have impacted daily life, transportation, and healthcare. The Trump administration has explored various options, including military action, though it maintains a preference for diplomatic solutions.
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