Cuba faces seventh major blackout of the year amid ongoing power challenges

Cuba has experienced its seventh major blackout of the year, leaving millions without electricity. The outage, reported by multiple sources including France24 and CBS News, follows the collapse of the island's aging electrical grid. The situation has worsened significantly since January, when the United States imposed a de facto energy blockade, exacerbating existing fuel shortages and infrastructure challenges. According to BBC World, widespread power outages have become increasingly common due to these shortages. France24 noted that this is the latest in a series of at least six partial or total grid collapses since the beginning of the year. Deutsche Welle attributed the blackout to the combined effects of fuel shortages, deteriorating infrastructure, and US sanctions. A resident quoted by CBS News expressed uncertainty about when power will be restored. The repeated blackouts highlight ongoing struggles with Cuba's aging thermoelectric plants and the impact of external factors on the nation's energy stability.