World

Cuba's national electric grid collapses, reason unknown

A person rides an electric motorcycle past a solar panel on a street as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez
A person rides an electric motorcycle past a solar panel on a street as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez Reuters

HAVANA - Cuba's national electric grid collapsed on Monday at midday, the country's grid operator said, leaving around 10 million people on the Caribbean island without power.

Grid operator UNE said it was investigating the cause of the nationwide blackout.

Cuba has for months suffered from hours-long, and more recently, days-long power outages linked in part to a decrepit grid and a U.S. imposed oil blockade that has cut off the island's fuel supply.

The nationwide outage is more bad news for Cubans already exhausted from rolling blackouts that make it impossible for many to work or sleep in the Caribbean summer heat.

Cuba has ​frequently struggled to keep the lights on during a years-long economic crisis but the Communist-run government has entered unprecedented territory under increased pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Nearly two-thirds of the country was already without power when the grid collapsed on Monday.

(Reporting by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Kylie Madry)

A woman walks on a street carrying a fan as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez
A woman walks on a street carrying a fan as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez Norlys Perez Reuters
Retired nursing assistant Ana Amelia Gracias, 70, pours herself water at home as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez
Retired nursing assistant Ana Amelia Gracias, 70, pours herself water at home as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez Norlys Perez Reuters
A man transports a solar panel on an electric tricycle as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez
A man transports a solar panel on an electric tricycle as Cuba's national electric grid collapsed at midday, leaving around 10 million people without power, in Havana, Cuba July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez Norlys Perez Reuters

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 4:13 PM.

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