Fuel Shortages Leading to Internet Outages
Since the start of March, Cuba has experienced three nationwide power outages, which have naturally led to nationwide Internet shutdowns.
The country’s ageing electricity infrastructure relies predominantly on oil, which has been restricted by US fuel embargoes since the 1960s. The situation has worsened since January, following the U.S. taking control of Venezuela’s oil—Cuba’s largest oil provider—and threatening secondary tariffs on third-party suppliers.
Cuba produces barely 40 percent of the fuel it needs to power its economy, and reports suggest that it has not received a major shipment of imported crude since the first week of January 2026.
Pacific Islands at Risk of Major Internet Outages Due to Lack of Fuel
While Cuba’s power struggles have been playing out for decades, other parts of the world are experiencing the existential threat of oil-related Internet outages, too, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly Pacific island nations.
Read: Electricity and Internet Resilience
Almost all Pacific island countries are as reliant on oil for electricity generation as Cuba is.
Many reports are quoting regional leaders who are bracing for impending fuel shortages not just for national electricity production, but individuals and remote communities who cannot afford or source fuel for their diesel generators.
Coincidentally, some leaders are considering recommendations to encourage people to work from home to reduce demand for transportation-related fuel, making the need to sustain the Internet even more important, as it was during the COVID pandemic.
Power and Internet Resilience Go Hand-In-Hand
These geopolitically driven events highlight the Internet's interconnectivity and the resilience of its components at the national, regional, and international levels. A resilient Internet connection maintains an acceptable level of service despite faults and disruptions to normal operation.
While Pulse recognizes that electricity is one of, if not the most critical, components of Internet resilience, we don't currently include related data in the Pulse Internet Resilience Index due to a lack of global, up-to-date, open-source data.
We will continue to track this and other power-related Internet issues and advocate for decision-makers to consider these as part of their Internet resilience-related policies and projects.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay