Electricity in the Big City

Electricity is a little different here. The electric company hasn't gotten meters installed this far up the mountain yet, so the electricity is free. (As you can see, it's kind of a free-for-all as well.) These wires are 220V, but Mike says about all he can draw is 40 amps. These are called cables colgados (hanging wires), because someone just puts up a ladder and hooks on their wires to the wires on the pole and your electric hook up is done.
The luz (electricity) bill must be paid in cash at specified locations (banks and other such places). There are no online payments or automatic withdrawals here. The electricity has been fairly constant since we've been here, although last Saturday night it was out for several hours.