CAMAGÜEY.- That "like Pedro for his house" could have been "refrained" by this Pedro. A thin man, apparently calm, who walks through the “October 10” office in two strides.

These intruders who were trying to read the many numbers, colors and buttons that appeared on the screens from which the life of the three active units of the Thermoelectric are evaluated were surprised with a smile that jumped over the mask. His gray hair told us the story, "I've been 41 years working, I started at 20. My whole life is here."

Pedro is shift manager in the control room. Along with his team of 36 workers, “intermediate technicians, engineers…. and not only men, there are also women in the compressors, as analysts, in the nitrogen area, in the services part”, they work 12 hours facing the tension of “governing” every detail of the Thermoelectric Power Plant.

"It is very difficult. My units have been shot, one after another and that is terrible. Also, it can happen due to system problems or human error. Look at all the parameters --pressure, high pressure, temperature...-- and buttons on that screen! They are one besides the other, if your hands moves a little and there begins the mess.”

Pedro Parra Olano's eyes shine when he talks about his thermoelectric plant, as if the gases, the saltpeter and the old iron that surrounds him breathe life into him. “I started in operations, in units 1 and 3, which are no longer in operation, later I qualified in turbine, boiler… until I reached operations. I've had bad and good times, but I don't change any of them”.

--An energy contingency situation?

--Ufff, he says while he puts his hands to his head, terrible. The worries, the hours of work until the problem is solved. Because look, even if you go home, you can't rest, you keep thinking about possible solutions, worrying about the slightest break.

The October 10 thermoelectric plant is today the most stable of all those in operation. However, Pedro, who knows his house, knows that at any moment one of the parameters on the screen turns red and he has to redouble the hours, the efforts...

“Right now, these blackouts are a very strong blow for us. We have no rest at work and yet we know that demand is not met, but that does not stop us. We will be here for as long as necessary."