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Sancti Spíritus.— Priority projects of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH, in Spanish) across the Cuban archipelago bear the stamp of Panelec (electric panels). The small team that produces them, based in this city, is the only one dedicated to the manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance of the electric panels required by hydraulic facilities.
“We manufacture high-performance devices. They allow for advanced electrical control and protection,” explained Emilio Hernández Sánchez, administrator of the state-owned MSME Panelec Sancti Spíritus SURL. “We’re challenged by complex and large-scale projects,” he added as a calling card.
Projects with social and economic impact occupy the seasoned group of engineers, who have left a mark of quality throughout the nation. The Santiago de Cuba aqueduct, the eastern water transfer system, the Mariel Special Development Zone, Antillana de Acero, tourism development in the northern keys, and the energy matrix transformation in small pumping stations for water supply to the population all use panels made in the Sancti Spíritus workshop.
The water treatment plants in Cienfuegos and Jatibonico, the desalination plant in Cayo Largo del Sur, and the North Havana Plant are among the facilities currently being served.
Since its founding in 1996, the entity has delivered more than 20,000 panels of various sizes, used in aqueduct pumping systems, water treatment, or wastewater plants, at costs 30% to 50% lower than similar products acquired in foreign markets.
A Mark of Quality
Like a skilled chess master, Emilio Lázaro Miguel Donato moves the pieces on a board with great dexterity and logic. In minutes, a tangle of wires, switches, fuses, and other components finds logical order inside a metal cabinet. He returns to the blueprint again and again, meticulously checking each connection.
“Our prestige at Panelec lies in respecting the project and the quality of our work,” says the man who has become a guru to his team. The seasoned engineer and technical-production manager, with over 30 years of experience, makes the most of every second of his day, racing against power outages.
“When we started making electric panels, people thought we were crazy,” he recalls. “We began in a tiny nine-square-meter room. Now we have a fairly large and well-equipped space. I’m proud to be part of that growth—not just as a factory, but also in our business structure.”
In pursuit of better financial management, they transitioned from a basic business unit to a subsidiary company. With that shift, they gained economic independence and legal personality. Focused on growth, they launched 2025 as a state-owned MSME.
“It’s an opportunity for retail sales, importing, exporting, and operating in foreign currency,” said Hernández Sánchez.
“We designed an efficient salary system, with a decent wage, performance-based bonuses for exceeding targets, and quarterly profit-sharing. It’s an amount that dignifies the dedication, sense of belonging, and commitment of the 22 workers to the company.”
