An island-wide blackout plunged Cuba into darkness Monday as the country’s deepening energy crisis continues to strain its fragile power system. The outage affected roughly 10 million people before limited electricity service was restored in some areas. "A total disconnection of the National Electric Power System is occurring," Cuba’s state-run Electric Union said Monday morning."The causes are being investigated."Cuba has faced increasingly frequent power outages in recent years as the country struggles with chronic fuel shortages and deteriorating electrical grids.
The crisis worsened when President Donald Trump imposed additional sanctions in January and threatened tariffs on countries that provide oil to the island. MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISISPeople walk on the street during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, July 6, 2026.(Ramon Espinosa)During Monday’s blackout, public transportation was largely halted, and officials said tens of thousands of surgeries were canceled nationwide, according to The Associated Press (AP).Authorities later said one generating unit had resumed operations roughly two hours after the collapse. "Microsystems are already operational throughout the country, to ensure protection for vital services," the Electric Union said. RUSSIAN ‘DARK FLEET’ TANKER BELIEVED TO BE DELIVERING OIL TO CUBA, DETECTED OFF US COAST AMID TRUMP BANA child walks with a bottle of oil past a solar panel set up on the street to charge batteries during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Monday, July 6, 2026.
(Ramon Espinosa)The energy minister said officials were working to restore power while accusing the U.S.of contributing to Cuba’s energy struggles. "Vital services continue to be protected, amidst this complex situation exacerbated by the energy blockade we face," Vicente de la O Levy said.Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also blamed U.S.
policies, describing the energy blockade as a "...