Cuba experiences seventh nationwide blackout of the year

On September 18, 2026, Cuba experienced a total collapse of its National Electric System (SEN), marking the seventh nationwide blackout since the beginning of the year. The initial failure, which originated in the western region and Havana due to transmission line faults and unstable weather, quickly cascaded to affect the entire island, home to approximately 9.4 million residents. Government officials mobilized restoration protocols immediately following the disconnection.

By September 19, the state electricity provider, UNE, reported that the national grid had been reconnected. However, authorities cautioned that despite this restoration, many areas remain without electricity due to insufficient power generation capacity. The Cuban energy infrastructure is suffering from chronic aging of thermoelectric plants, persistent fuel shortages, and ongoing challenges related to a U.S. oil blockade in effect since January.

Ongoing energy instability has led to regular planned outages as a measure to manage the limited supply. While the system has been stabilized for now, the state utility warns that the combination of infrastructure decay and limited resources will continue to cause localized electricity interruptions for the foreseeable future.