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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World

Cuba plunged into ⁠darkness after national electricity grid collapses again

Cuba's national electricity grid collapsed late on ⁠Sunday, the state-owned national electric utility said, plunging the ⁠island of ​about ⁠10 million people into ⁠darkness as blackouts are ​becoming ⁠ever more ‌frequent.

The Union Electrica de Cuba did not provide any further details in its posts on social media websites X and Facebook.

The outage follows three nationwide blackouts in July ‌and comes as a ​US-imposed oil ‌blockade has ⁠crippled the ⁠island's already aging energy ‌infrastructure.

Cuba's national power grid last collapsed on 14 July, ​marking the third major blackout in nine days on the ‌island.

"There has been a total disconnection of the electrical system," the energy ministry had said on social media.

The ​frequent outages come as a US-imposed oil blockade ​has crippled the island's already aging energy infrastructure.

US president ⁠Donald Trump imposed an oil blockade on the Caribbean ​island after Washington deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on 3 January.

Venezuela was Cuba's primary fuel supplier, and subsequent US pressure also led Mexico to halt oil shipments to the island.

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