The U.S. Embassy in Havana on Monday urged Americans in Cuba, and those planning to visit, to prepare for major disruptions after the country’s electrical grid collapsed late Sunday, triggering the sixth total nationwide power failure of 2026.
“As of 22.43 EST on Aug. 2, Cuba experienced a total power failure due to a collapse of Cuba’s electrical grid. According to Cuban regime media, the reason for the collapse and the timeline to restore power is unknown,” the embassy said in a security alert. It warned of reported cellphone and internet outages and urged U.S. citizens to keep phones and portable battery packs charged, maintain flashlights and spare batteries, stock nonperishable food and water, and ensure access to necessary medications, including those requiring refrigeration.
“Cuba’s electrical grid is increasingly unstable, and this is the sixth total grid failure of 2026, with three occurring in July 2026 alone,” the embassy said.
State-run utility UNE reported a “total disconnection” of the national electricity system, plunging the country of about 10 million people into darkness. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said microsystems had been activated to power essential services while crews worked to restore the grid; state media said restoration efforts continued into Monday afternoon, with about a third of Havana’s electricity back online.
Cuba’s aging power infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with demand amid a U.S. fuel embargo that has curtailed oil shipments needed to run its power stations. Washington has authorized only one Russian tanker delivery this year, in March, and those reserves have since been exhausted. The Trump administration has also expanded sanctions on Cuban state-owned enterprises, prompting some foreign firms to suspend operations on the island. President Miguel DÃaz-Canel accused Washington on social media of trying to provoke “a social explosion through asphyxiation” by blocking fuel imports.
