Cuba repeats process to restore electricity after fifth national blackout in 2026

Cuba is once again grappling with a nationwide blackout, the fifth this year, after its National Electroenergetic System (SEN) collapsed on Tuesday, July 14. The incident left more than nine million Cubans without electricity. State company Unión Eléctrica (UNE) reported that distributed generation engines are being activated across all provinces to restore service.

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oscillations in the network national that provoked the exit of a generator unit, which subsequently triggered the disconnection of several more until the general fall

According to Vicente de la O Levy, the Minister of Energy and Mines, the collapse was triggered by "oscillations in the national grid" that caused a single generator unit to go offline. This initial failure led to a subsequent shutdown of several other units, resulting in a total system failure. The minister asserted that these frequent disconnections are not due to operational errors, citing the technical capacity and dedication of UNE personnel.

Minister de la O Levy attributed the persistent failures primarily to the U.S. blockade and a recent executive order from the United States. He stated that Cuba faces a severe shortage of fuel and lacks access to essential spare parts for its thermoelectric and Energás power plants. The country has been in a deep energy crisis since mid-2024, exacerbated by U.S. oil sanctions imposed in January, which have intensified power outages to unprecedented levels.

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frequent disconnections of the SEN have not been operational errors because in the UNE, dependent on my ministry, there is technical capacity, knowledge, dedication, and a strong sense of belonging, and the system will recover.

In response to the crisis, UNE technicians are working to bring distributed generation sources online. These sources create micro-systems that can supply power to vital services like hospitals, water supply, and communications. The immediate goal is to restart the country's thermoelectric power plants, which are the backbone of Cuba's electricity generation, to meet demand. This restoration process is described as slow and laborious, often taking 48 hours or more, as it involves gradually restoring power to small areas that are then interconnected.

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We say it and we repeat it again. There is a total absence of fuel and we do not have access to spare parts for our thermoelectric units or for Energás plants.