A market manager in the Micro 70 district of Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud, took matters into his own hands by bringing his portable EcoFlow power station to his chicken sales stall. This was done to ensure the scale remained operational and to provide lighting if the sales extended into the evening, according to a Facebook post by Bárbara Pérez that circulated on Sunday.
Pérez praised the initiative with a "Bravo," suggesting it as a model to emulate: "These are the positive practices we should adopt daily."
While this personal initiative is commendable, it underscores a problematic reliance on individual resourcefulness and willingness. In reality, it should be the responsibility of the government to provide the necessary tools so workers can perform their duties.
The manager’s decision to bring his own equipment to maintain the sales process highlights how deeply the energy crisis has infiltrated the everyday functioning of state-run retail operations.
In what might be a curious anecdote elsewhere, in 2026's Isla de la Juventud, it's a rational response to an unprecedented electrical crisis.
The area is currently receiving a mere two hours of electricity per day, a dramatic decrease from the six hours that Rubén Campos Olmo, the general director of the National Electric Union, acknowledged in May during a televised roundtable discussion.
Local power generation is operating at just 18 MW, compared to the 48 MW installed capacity, a direct result of fuel shortages and deteriorating power plants.
Back in February, the Electric Company of the Island had already announced four-hour cyclic outages due to fuel scarcity, a situation that has only worsened since.
This episode is just one in a series of makeshift solutions Cubans have devised to cope with power outages. In Isla de la Juventud, the government even resorted to equipping solar parks with outlets so residents could charge electronic devices, a measure that highlights the severe collapse of the system.
Understanding the Energy Crisis in Isla de la Juventud
What prompted the market manager to use an EcoFlow power station?
The manager brought an EcoFlow power station to ensure that the scale remained functional and to provide lighting if chicken sales extended into the night, due to the ongoing electricity crisis.
How severe is the electricity shortage in Isla de la Juventud?
The region is experiencing only two hours of electricity per day, a significant reduction from the previous six hours, due to fuel shortages and deteriorating power infrastructure.
What measures has the government taken in response to the power outages?
The government has implemented measures such as equipping solar parks with outlets to allow residents to charge electronic devices, illustrating the magnitude of the crisis.