Overview
- The Energy Ministry reported that a fault in a block of a thermal power plant caused a full separation of the national electricity grid, triggering an island-wide blackout and emergency restoration procedures.
- Officials say crews have started stepwise power restoration in several regions while the overall situation remains developing and unstable.
- Cuba's generation relies heavily on decades-old thermal plants that are mechanically fragile and need imported fuel to run, which leaves the system prone to repeated large-scale failures.
- The government blames reduced fuel deliveries after U.S. pressure and tariff threats and notes that the United States recently placed the Tourism Ministry on a sanctions list, increasing economic strain on sectors that need reliable power.
- The outages have already disrupted public services such as waste collection and raise the risk of more blackouts unless fuel supplies and plant repairs are restored.