Cuba hit by third nationwide blackout in a week amid energy crisis

Cuba has suffered a third nationwide power outage in the space of around a week, the country’s Energy Ministry said on Tuesday.

“There has been a complete disconnection of the power system,” the ministry said on the platform X, adding that protocols to restore electricity supply have been activated.

The ministry later said a fault in a unit at a thermal power plant had triggered the disconnection of the national grid.

Electricity was being gradually restored in several parts of the country, it said.

Cuba already experienced nationwide blackouts on Friday and on July 6.

The socialist-run island is suffering a severe energy crisis due to its dilapidated infrastructure and an oil embargo imposed by the United States months ago.

Many of the country’s thermal power plants, most dating back decades, are prone to breakdowns, and fuel for electricity generation is frequently in short supply.

The government blames the crisis in part on the US trade embargo and other sanctions imposed by Washington.

US President Donald Trump threatened in January to impose tariffs on countries that export oil to Cuba. Fuel deliveries from abroad then came almost to a standstill. The island can cover only part of its oil needs.

Washington is using various pressure measures in an attempt to force the island to open up economically and politically in line with its wishes. On Monday, the US added Cuba’s Tourism Ministry – a key pillar of the Cuban economy – to a sanctions list.