Key facts
- Cuba's national electric grid collapsed again on Monday.
- The collapse occurred during efforts to restore power after a Sunday nationwide blackout.
- State media cited adverse weather conditions impacting the transmission network.
- This marks the second grid collapse in less than 24 hours.
- Cuba has experienced multiple nationwide grid failures in July.
Cuba's national electric grid collapsed again on Monday as authorities worked to restore power following a nationwide blackout late Sunday. The repeated failure underscores the fragility of the island's power system, exacerbated by fuel shortages, aging infrastructure, and chronic underinvestment. State television journalist Lazaro Manuel Alonso reported a new disconnection of the National Electric System occurred Monday afternoon, attributing it to a "fluctuation." The UNE power utility later stated that adverse weather conditions disrupted the transmission network during restoration efforts, impacting generating units that had returned to service. By early evening, some progress was reported, with four generating units operating and several transmission substations around Havana re-energized. This latest outage follows three nationwide grid failures in July and the Sunday collapse, disrupting daily life and adding to economic pressures on the island. Cuba attributes its energy crisis to U.S. sanctions, while Washington points to failures in the state-run economic model.