Cuba suffers seventh massive blackout of the year, millions left without power

Cuba experienced its seventh large‑scale blackout of the year on Friday, leaving the island’s more than nine million residents without electricity for several hours. The outage is part of a pattern of frequent power cuts that have become routine across the country as its aging thermoelectric plants struggle to meet demand.

Officials and energy analysts attribute the escalating crisis to the deteriorating condition of the aging generation facilities, a problem that has intensified since January when the United States imposed a de facto energy blockade on the island. The restrictions have limited Cuba’s ability to import spare parts and fuel, further hampering maintenance and operation of its power infrastructure. Authorities have warned that without external assistance or substantial upgrades, similar blackouts are likely to continue affecting daily life and economic activity throughout the nation.