Our first electric bill!!!

R&JRivas · Nov 9, 2002

Well our first electric bill arrived at the tune of 17,000.00 RD$. I guess this is for two months. I am not sure why it is this high because we have had no appliance in the house only since the past two weeks.
My husband went to electric company to see what was going on and they said our meter needed to be reset? So they came out and did that and then only charged us half of the 17,000.00. I am wondering what is going to be like in summer with a air cond unit in house?

Maybe sweating alot in summer!

R&JRivas

AnnaC · Nov 9, 2002

I wanted to ask this question before. Is the billing in the DR for two months?

R&JRivas · Nov 9, 2002

When my husband asked why so much they said it was for two months, but I have no idea how often they send bills out. I guess that will be next question how often are bills sent out?

R&JRivas

rendul · Nov 9, 2002

We are billed monthly in Cabarete through Sosua although we never receive a bill. We have to go to the office in Sosua on the twentieth of every month to pay the bill without knowing how much it will be. Only when we get there do they print it out and then shock the pants off us. I still don't get why we can't get our bill at our house and if we don't pay right away within two or three days our power is shut off. Then you go through the garbage of reconnection fees, etc., etc. There is no grace period just take, take, take!

R&JRivas · Nov 9, 2002

Rendul, funny you should mention about the disconnection, he said I have to get down there right away or they will disconnect the power. I thought that was a bit strange.

rendul · Nov 9, 2002

Not at all! They are very fast on the disconnect and really slow on the reconnect but very fast with the charges!!! Good luck!

P.S. You can't even call to get the balance before you go there!!! All for one and one for one.:angry:

tht · Nov 9, 2002

You are in good company, my bill went up from RD$ 540 for Sept. to RD$ 5593 for Oct (I will never pay). The explanation was my air condition, which I have had since March!! Watch out for these bandits, as usual, they need money for the christmas and new year celebration with all the roasted turkey, tons of Brugal etc.

Jan · Nov 9, 2002

My bill went up from under $100 a month to $900! It says I used an outrageous amount of KWH. I wasn't even in my house for 1 week! I was on vacation! I am going to the office next week to see why. I expected the amount of the bill to go up. But the KWH isn't correct. Hope they do something about this. I'll let you know what happens.

R&JRivas · Nov 9, 2002

Looks like we are not alone.

mondongo · Nov 9, 2002

I recommend you all get together and find a way to do one of the following:

1) steal the power
2) get a throng of people together and storm the Electric company and Government offices.

Do not pay. Find a way to avoid paying taxes. The bottom line...do not feed this growing larva known as the Mejia administration.

PS We are beginning to understand why Mejia has been so good to the Military.

Hillbilly · Nov 9, 2002

That is obscene! I am afraid that the different power distributors will cause the first real Dominican Revolution!

HB

Rivas: Could you maybe have the nicest house in your neighborhood...in MAO?

R&JRivas · Nov 9, 2002

HB, we have a very simple condo 3 bedrooms and 2 bath nothing great - very simple - as a matter of fact some of the homes around us are huge and beautiful. I thought maybe we were getting one of those homes bills. LOL My husband tryed to hook cable and that will take a act of god because our condo is to far away from street???? Go figure I guess we dont need cable -- once I get down there with the kids we will have no time for TV.
Oh to experience the life in Dominican Rebublic -- glad both my husband and I are so laid back.

Jersey Devil · Nov 9, 2002

Horrible!

SDecatur · Nov 9, 2002

what is to happen?

I am reading all these horror stories about insane electric bills and outraged consumers, but in all seriousness: what are you planning to do? Do you have legal recourse?

As I think it said by Hillbilly, it would appear at the very least violent street demonstations will be soon, an uprising against whomever allows this would be next.

does the government regulate electricity prices, or approve those charges? I think I understand the power producers are private, is this correct?

I'm serious when I ask what can people do, there is no possible way that a huge percentage of the population can even entertain paying these bills.

I hope I am wrong, but it would seem street riots are inevitiable

PJT · Nov 9, 2002

You may want to inspect you service line to make sure that nobody is stealing your electricity. Easy way to check is to go to your circuit box and shut off all power to the household. Then check the electric meter. If it is registering usage, best to call the electric company, someone has tapped into your line. Regards, PJT

Robert · Nov 9, 2002

I can't see any street riots happening, huge bills only effect the people that pay. The barrios are getting plenty of power right now at the expense of paying consumers.

Maybe you might see some action when the trickle down effect starts to really kick in, job cuts, price increases etc.

I have a feeling that the road a head is going to get a little bumpy for the Mejia administration...

R&JRivas · Nov 9, 2002

PJT I like that idea of checking -- I will pass that along to my husband. Maybe we are paying for a few new friends.

SDecatur · Nov 9, 2002

Robert said:
I can't see any street riots happening, huge bills only effect the people that pay. The barrios are getting plenty of power right now at the expense of paying consumers.

Maybe you might see some action when the trickle down effect starts to really kick in, job cuts, price increases etc.

I have a feeling that the road a head is going to get a little bumpy for the Mejia administration...

Is the Electrical grid owned and controlled by a private enterprise? If so, wouldn't "solving" the electrical crisis be a dramatic coup for an unpopular administration during election time? It works well in the US, except we seem to favor starting a war when the party in power has re-election concerns. Create a 'problem" then have the electorate rally round while you solve it

Robert · Nov 10, 2002

The government owns half, so they are happy, they are getting badly needed revenues.

This is not the USA, it just doesn't work like that...

R&JRivas · Nov 10, 2002

I have another electric question. I will be in Dominican Rebublic from December 8th thru Jan 5, 2003, is there a way to put your electric on vaction service or do you just disconnect when you leave? We wont be back until the end of May. Can anyone tell me if they have ever done this before?

Our first electric bill!!!

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