Small bakeries in Argentina and Dominican Republic shut down amid soaring electricity costs

The family‑run bakery Las Artesanas announced the permanent closure of its San Martín branch in Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina, citing a severe commercial crisis, rising utility tariffs and an electricity supply cut that made continued operation impossible. The owners appealed for community support to keep their main outlet on Avenida Kennedy open.

In the Dominican Republic, young entrepreneur Cania Jones shut down her pastry shop Makarios Postres after an electricity bill from Edesur ballooned to RD$148,000, far exceeding previous charges. Jones said the distributor’s alleged overbilling and the lack of effective remediation forced her to dismantle the business and move equipment to her mother’s home, highlighting the difficulties small entrepreneurs face with utility costs.