Dim Times in Cuba
Dim Times in Cuba
Although only a 45-minute plane ride from the dazzling lights of Miami, the land of Cuba bears little resemblance in terms of lighting and most other aspects of life.
Hard-hit by the separation from its Soviet big brother, severe energy shortages have beset the Cuban economy. Transportation and power production were especially dependent on imported Soviet oil, no longer available for barter-only for scarce hard currency.
As a result, Cuba's energy policy is today characterized by a national program for raising oxen to haul large loads and massive bicycle imports. Planned electricity outages were about four hours daily last spring, and are likely higher now.
The situation makes providing illumination, and all other energy end uses, very problematic. Far from the twinkling skylines so familiar to the North, nightime finds the Havana skyline almost completely darkened. Exceptions include the hospital and other essential 24-hour facilities.
An eclectic mixture of lighting products can be observed in Cuba. In one hotel room was a Russian-made incandescent lamp in a Chinese-made fixture. Fluorescent lamps from China and Japan and Europe can also be found. Even CFLs can be seen, both circline style lamps and integral lamps. Streetlighting is provided with whatever is available, ranging from high-pressure sodium lamps to mercury vapor and even incandescent lamps.
Unlike many developing countries, most homes in Cuba have electricity and electric light. However, in these hard times all types of lamps are hard for consumers to find. People will "borrow" lamps from work in order to have light at home.
Little sign could be seen of efforts to promote energy savings. Lacking hard currency and utility interest in efficiency, the focus is instead on belt-tightening.
Evan Mills