Cuba experienced a second nationwide power outage on Monday, August 4th, marking the sixth such blackout this year and further hindering efforts to restore electricity to the island's national grid.

Power began returning to parts of Havana and several provinces in central and western Cuba during the day. By midday, authorities reported that about half of Havana had electricity again. However, the state electricity provider later warned that unfavorable weather conditions disrupted the restoration process, directly affecting the generator units that were online.

"In the process of reestablishing the [National Electric System], existing weather events caused disruptions to the grid, directly affecting the generator units that were online," the provider said in a statement posted to social media on Monday afternoon, without specifying the extent of damage or the number of affected areas.

By early evening, some progress was reported, with four generating units at Energas Jaruco operating and several transmission substations around Havana re-energized. The provider added, "We continue to work intensively to revert the situation and achieve the system reset as soon as possible."

Since the start of the year, repeated blackouts have disrupted businesses, public services, and daily life across Cuba, a Caribbean island with roughly 10 million inhabitants. The government attributes the ongoing energy crisis to decades of United States sanctions and embargoes that limit access to fuel, financing, and spare parts necessary for maintaining the power system.

Sources