Cohesion, Culture, and Gaps in Puerto Edén, a Remote Energy Community; [Coesão, Cultura E Lacunas Em Puerto Edén, Uma Comunidade Energética Remota]; [Cohesión, Cultura y Brechas en Puerto Edén, Una Comunidad Energética Remota]

This study explores the sociocultural dynamics of the maintenance and repair of energy infrastructures in Puerto Edén, a remote community in Chilean Patagonia. Using qualitative and phenomenological methodologies, it explores how local practices contribute to the sustainability of energy systems in isolated areas. Puerto Edén faces challenges in energy access and the maintenance of off-grid systems, which impact social cohesion. The study analyzes the interaction between energy practices and community cohesion, focusing on knowledge, technological, and sociocultural gaps amplified by isolation. These gaps hinder the implementation of modern, sustainable solutions, creating socio-technical challenges that affect both infrastructure and community relations. Unlike energy communities in the Global North, Puerto Edén lacks institutional structures and relies on adaptive practices for energy management. Despite these challenges, community cohesion, driven by religious and cultural traditions as well as practical knowledge, plays a crucial role in maintaining the systems. The study concludes that creativity, traditions, and local pragmatism are key to overcoming the limitations of isolation, offering potential pathways for sustainable energy practices in remote contexts. © 2025 Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Santiago de Chile. All rights reserved.