Cuba experiences another nationwide power outage on Monday, the third since the start of the year, according to the state electricity company. The outages come as the island is already struggling to supply fuel for electricity generation, with power plants largely relying on ageing Soviet-era infrastructure. Multiple reports link the worsening situation to a US oil blockade imposed in January under President Donald Trump, which has reduced the fuel available to keep generators running and contributes to grid instability.
The electricity utility says there is a “total disconnection from the national electricity generation system” and that it is investigating the cause. One report notes the blackout is the eighth on the island since late 2024. Authorities also impose increasingly long power cuts to conserve fuel, with some areas facing outages for extended periods.
In the broader context, the reports state that since January Washington has allowed only one oil tanker, from Russia, to dock in Cuba. The reduced energy supply has contributed to shortages affecting daily life, while the Cuban government has expanded solar energy as part of efforts to reduce electricity shortfalls, though it still represents a small share of the energy mix.
