Amid power outages exceeding 12 to 16 hours in several provinces across the country, the Cuban regime is promoting the installation of photovoltaic modules as an alternative to the energy crisis. However, the cost of these systems brings an uncomfortable reality to the forefront, as each kit costs more than 75,000 Cuban pesos.
According to a publication by the Unión Eléctrica on Facebook, the 800-watt module being installed in homes of Heroes and Heroines of Labor is valued at 75,200 Cuban pesos (CUP). The package includes a solar panel, six meters of cable, connectors, and a battery with an output of 1,200 watts, sufficient to power basic appliances such as a refrigerator, a rice cooker, or a television.
That figure is equivalent to more than 20 monthly salaries of an average state worker in Cuba. For most families, whose income barely covers their food expenses for the month, gathering that amount of money is practically impossible without outside assistance.
Authorities assure that there are payment options available in cash or by card, and even "family support" to help cover the payment. In practice, this often translates into remittances sent by relatives from abroad, a recurring lifeline for the Cuban domestic economy.
The program, according to official figures, aims to benefit more than 10,000 workers with compact solar energy systems. Of the 208 Heroes of Labor recognized in the country, over 130 modules have already been installed.
At the same time, the Government announced tariff exemptions for the importation of panels, batteries, and inverters, as well as tax benefits of up to eight years for those who invest in renewable energy. It also opened the possibility for those who generate electricity to sell it to third parties.
Electricity: Right or Privilege?
In theory, the measures aim to encourage decentralized generation in a context of fuel shortages and the collapse of the electrical system. In practice, electricity begins to divide Cubans between those who can afford energy autonomy and those who continue to depend on a system marked by instability.
In a country where food spoils due to a lack of refrigeration and water pumping is interrupted by power outages, access to a solar panel ceases to be a technological luxury and becomes a basic necessity.
But when that need costs more than 75,000 pesos, the question that many are asking both on and off the island is inevitable: how many Cubans can really afford their own light amid the national darkness?
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