Power Cost Increase......

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
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Anyone have comments on the increase in electricity rates? Our electricity in Santiago has not been bad up to this point. The police force getting involved is interesting. I understand the rates are supposed to increase by over 100%. That is a huge increase.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
It is going to be very difficult for many people.

Our cleaning lady lives in Gaspar Hernandez where power outages have been extreme. She said things have been better the last couple of days--she is now getting 4-6 hours of electricity out of 24. She is very, very worried about the increased cost of electricity. She and her neighbors are poor and cannot afford an increase.

One wonders what conditions will be like in Gaspar Hernandez after the police have been there to collect.

By great sacrifice, this family was able to send two sons through the university. One is an engineer, not sure about the other. But in any case, for one reason or another, both are now out of work. And the son who is an engineer has 3 young children.

Stories like this are common all over the country.

Not hard to imagine how they will be affected by a 100% increase in power costs.
 

mondongo

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,533
6
38
The answer is that there will be blood in the streets. It is beyond my comprehension how Dictator Mejia can get away with this. There must be a revolution.....Except now its not just the very poor that are pissed off....the Middle Class is also very pissed off...I hope they all band together and lynch all these mobsters.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
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Certainly one of the nastier moves of this Government

I have a headache, so maybe that is shading my take on this, but whatever, this is going to get nasty.
Julio Cross Fr?as, the Superintendent of Electricity, published a full page thingy today with some formulas that gave my wife and daughter pause for thought.
It boils down to the fact that if you were paying 7000 a month you will be paying very close to 10,000.

This will drive a lot of business to close, force a lot of people to lose their jobs, (something already in the works, due to the new Social Security laws that enter into effect this next couple of months)

This situation, coupled with the economic slodown resulting from both internal and external factors will cause tensions this government is not equipped to handle. They are believing their own propaganda, which is most unfortunate.

HB
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
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Yup, Mondongo, you got it all right again. Just have the power companies turn off the electric. That will be much better. How dare the current administration try and negotiate a deal after past admins screwed the pooch by giving the house away to the power companies.

Screw it, turn the crap off. Lets all procreate instead, more fun anyway.

I am just wondering where you get your ideas from about blood in the streets? That happen in Massachusettes where you live all the time?
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
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www.dominicancooking.com
I am not for blood, and I believe that we have to lick our wounds and put up with him for the next two years, after all we elected him (not that I voted for him). But what is really getting to my nerves is the fact that the LESS you consume, the more you will pay. How is that for abuse?!

I am not in my best mood now.
 

MommC

On Vacation!
Mar 2, 2002
4,056
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dr1.com
Heck...I already pay more for my power when I'm NOT there

than I do when I am!!! Ya mean I'm going to have to pay 100% more for the pleasure of not using ANY power for up to 8 months of the year????
Time to crank up the generator and "rough" it!!
 

mondongo

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,533
6
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In 2+ years Mejia will have almost doubled government spending. They borrowed USD to pay for part of the Govt Electric bill debt. The other part of the govt electric bill debt will be collected from higher taxes.

They cannot pay their bills...but where have those US$ billions gone? The money went to hire their friends and family...thats where its gone....why must the DR have the highest energy costs?....dont we pay the same amount for OPEC and Venezuelan Oil?....

call me crazy....but maybe Mejia could have taken a few of those US$billions he has stolen and built some efficient power generation and distribution systems...

This is a good article in spanish in listindiario. An economist talks about the current state of Dominican economic affairs. Of importance is the point that the Central Bank is sucking money out of the DR economy in order to keep the exchange rate from collapsing. What this means is that in order to pay back all those loans without run-away inflation, that money is literally being sucked out of all those participatin in the Dominican economy. So all of you down there are getting screwed, whether you realize it or not. So there you have it. THEY STOLE YOUR MONEY a while back......and noe YOU ARE PAYING IT BACK!!!

http://www.listindiario.com.do/cuerpos/dinero/din7.htm
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
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People will probably adjust...and go on living. My understanding is that the very poor living in barrios do not pay electricity...for example my wife's mother is not responsible for paying electricity. How does that work? The barrio management group pays?
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Mondongo is right, there will be blood on the streets. The economical conditions are tough on many people and now with this higher cost of electric and social sec. law, things will really spin out of control.
You may not see rioting in sosua and in boca chica areas but riots in SD and in santiago can get really nasty at times. People burn tires and throw stones at police or at passing by cars. Even gun fire is very common. I have gotten caught in some nasty riots 3 times in santiago and 1 time in bad area of puerto plata.
Believe me, when you have dozens of people throwing huge stones and firing pistols at you, its no fun. You don't think, just get the hell out as fast as you can.
I am afraid, thing will be very tough in santiago if hipo keeps his promise.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
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I am not sure exactly what the new social sec law states but the important part is that money will be deducted out of pay checks of the hard working dominicans. This would be a tough cookie to swallow by many working dominicans. Some people have speculated the deducted amount to be 20- 30 % of your check. Hahaha, I laughed at that because this seems like an outragious amount to take out from a check but you never know with this current administration. Anything is possible.
Even if they deduct 5-10% off the paycheck of a hard working dominican, i see trouble ahead.
Times are very bad in DR and people are fed up with new tricks that hipo has in the bag for them.
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
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www.dominicancooking.com
Two things:

Dominican employees are already paying half their medical insurance cost, even if they don't notice.

I don't think it's gonna be as much as 30%.

Other than that, not even employers are sure what this is all about, which is scary.
 

Mannheim

New member
Sep 16, 2002
11
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Pib

What are the proposed benefits of the "social security" programs? Are they for present improved medical care, retirement? Can you make some type of comparison to the US Social Security program?

(Sorry about the other thread, I didn't start at the beginning and from the posts I did read, I thought "Rich Dominicans" was the subject.)

Thank you

KM
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
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www.dominicancooking.com
We have attended half a dozen classess on this subject and I don't really know much what it is all about. Just imagine people that haven't.

The new law is about (among other things) having a standard retirement, dissability and health care system for ALL Dominicans. And I can't compare it to that of the US because I know even less about it.
 

rendul

Bronze
Feb 24, 2002
623
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rendul.tripod.com
I'm furious about the increased cost of electricity. Edenorte is useless when it comes to repairs or new installations and then the government has the b#$%s to increase the bill by 103%. I am seriously thinking about getting some solar panels!!!
 

Jim Hinsch

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
669
0
0
geocities.com
To all.

If the media wants to sensationalize, why not say that a consumer using NO power, will pay 1300% more (RD$39 instead of RD$3), or consumers bills will be 1200% higher for consumers using $RD50 KW-HRS ($RD89 instead of RD$54, an increase of RD$35)?

Because then people will say "that can't be right".

The billing fee has increased 1314 %.

The 1st 50KW-Hrs has increased 82% (RD$410 vs RD$747).

The next 250KW-Hrs has increased 44% (RD$622 vs. RD$358)

The rate for over 300 KW-HR increased 19.92% (RD$3.07 vs RD$2.56 for each KW-HR).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A house without an air conditioner can easily average 2KW.

Assuming 730.5 hours/month.
Total bill % Increase depends on how much you use.

To all.

If the media wants to sensationalize, why not say that a consumer using NO power, will pay 1300% more (RD$39 instead of RD$3), or consumers bills will be 1200% higher for consumers using $RD50 KW-HRS ($RD89 instead of RD$54, an increase of RD$35)?

Because then people will say "that can't be right".

The billing fee has increased 1314 %.

The 1st 50KW-Hrs has increased 82% (RD$410 vs RD$747).

The next 250KW-Hrs has increased 44% (RD$622 vs. RD$358)

The rate for over 300 KW-HR increased 19.92% (RD$3.07 vs RD$2.56 for each KW-HR).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A house without an air conditioner can easily average 2KW.

Assuming 730.5 hours/month.
Total bill % Increase depends on how much you use.

<IMG SRC="http://www.mastercomputergroup.com/images/electric_bill.gif">
 
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