According to a report by 14ymedio, a new pricing chart for manufactured gas has been circulating among La Habana residents via WhatsApp groups this weekend. Despite the widespread rumor, no official agency has confirmed the price hike, and no resolution has appeared in the Official Gazette.
The unofficial document claims that the price per cubic meter will increase from 2.50 to 4.97 Cuban pesos (CUP), marking a staggering 98.8% rise, almost doubling the rate set in January 2021.
The message accompanying the chart urges recipients to "inform neighbors so everyone knows in time," acknowledging that an official announcement is pending: "It will be communicated through the company's formal channels," it states.
As of the article's release, neither the Manufactured Gas Company, Cuba-Petroleum Union, nor the Ministry of Energy and Mines had issued a statement confirming the new rates on their websites.
The corresponding resolution has yet to be found in the Official Gazette, leaving questions about when it will take effect, which areas it will impact, and how consumption will be assessed for homes without meters.
Impact on Non-Metered Customers
The most significant burden would fall on what are called non-metered customers, those without a meter who pay a fixed rate based on the number of household members.
According to the leaked chart, homes with one or two residents would now owe 99.40 CUP monthly for 20 cubic meters; those with three to five people, 298.20 CUP for 60 cubic meters; and households with six or more, 397.60 CUP for 80 cubic meters.
These customers cannot lower their bills through conservation, as they are automatically assigned a consumption volume regardless of actual usage.
Service Fees on the Rise
The cost for cutting and reconnecting service is also set to increase dramatically: from 50 CUP, a rate set during the Ordering Task, to 370 CUP, as indicated by the informal document.
The 2.50 CUP per cubic meter fee was established in the extraordinary Official Gazette number 68, published on December 10, 2020, and has remained unchanged for over five years. Should the increase be confirmed, this would be the first adjustment since then.
Manufactured gas is supplied via pipeline networks across several Havana municipalities and has become especially crucial given the island's persistent power outages, serving as one of the few relatively stable cooking alternatives.
In June, the Manufactured Gas Company announced plans to add 25,000 new customers in the capital this year, with only 16% of the city's population having potential access to the network.
The informal spread of pricing and regulation changes through neighborhood groups before any official announcement is a recurring pattern in Cuba, where citizens often learn about new measures through unofficial channels days or weeks in advance.
"Now we just wait for the bill to arrive," remarked one Habanera after receiving the chart in her building's chat group.
FAQs on Havana's Gas Price Increase
Why is there a potential increase in Havana's gas prices?
The leaked document suggests a price increase to address economic adjustments, though no official reason has been provided as the increase hasn't been confirmed by authorities.
How will the price change affect non-metered customers?
Non-metered customers would face higher fixed monthly fees based on household size, with no ability to reduce costs by conserving gas.
When will the new gas prices take effect?
The effective date remains unclear as no official announcement or resolution has been made public.