What does electricity cost?

ustelephone

Member
Mar 31, 2004
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I live in the Gazcue district of Santo Domingo, on Independencia. My bill for a 1 bedroom with 1 wall unit A/C just went from 800 pesos per month to 12,300 pesos this month. What used to be 3.35 pesos per KWH is now 8.22 pesos, this is after a visit where I exposed myself as not being a local. I buy my electric from AES (Distribuidora Del Este). I haven't gone in yet to discuss the INCREASE. Wondering if anyone has any words of advice. I've already planned to take 2 valium 1 hour before going in, so you can save the advice about not loosing it.
 

Gringo

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Jan 1, 2002
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

I live in a large house with 6 apartments attached on the same meter in Pto.Pta.(no a/c)

We just paid our bill this month and I thought it was high at RD $ 9760.00.
It runs around the RD$ 7500.00 area each month....

It sounds to me that you are using a lot of A/C or maybe you have other apartments attached to your service and are not aware of this!

Better take a large Cuba Libre along with your 2 Valium.

Good Luck

Gringo
 

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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My power bill says 8.22/kwhr too, it's not just you.

But 12,000 pesos a month for a small apartment? that still seems high. My store, with over 100 sq. meters and 3 split air conditioners paid 25k last month so I imagine an apartment like yours should pay somewhere closer to 5k. at most, even at the new rates. Check to make sure the amount of electrical consumption is still the same as normal, or maybe someone's tapping into your electricity (a neighbor).
 

NV_

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Aug 4, 2003
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My fiancee and I live together in a 2 bedroom apt. in Las Praderas with only one small window a/c unit. Although it is on for about 20 hours a day, my electricity bill went from an acceptable 4500RD a month to almost 10,500RD this month ALONE!

I doubt there is anything that can be done about it since these guys are the biggest thieves in the D.R. (short of the aduana tigeres). If you happen to find a solution, short of getting cut off or hooking yourself up illegally (which I have considered 1000s of times but dont want to go through the problems if I get caught), please let us know... I'm paying a lot less for my montly apt. rent than for my electricity bill.... outrageous!

Edit: If you have any luck complaining at their offices about your elevated charges, you'll be very lucky. I had the same thing happen to me on the home we lived in before moving to this apt.. The bill arrived at over 30k RD when the dollar was at 20RD to 1 USD... Spent two whole days arguing with them at their offices until they finally sent someone to "check" things out. Needless to say, the "tech" who "checked" things out, confirmed that the readings were accurate and I got shafted. Seems like its starting to happen again....
 
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CMS

New member
Jan 28, 2003
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electric

They can charge whatever they want and there is very little you can do about it except go without electricity.
Try bringing copies of your bills to edusur. That large of an increase sometimes gets adjusted a bit.
 

Oche

Member
Jan 6, 2004
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If you are really knee deep in the $hi! kill the A/C for a month to see how it goes. It'll drop the bill from 3000-5000 pesos. Constant use of A/C is a no-go $$$ luxury when dealing with these thiefs (CDEEE).
 

Jim Driscoll

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Jan 4, 2002
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Monthly energy cost

If your window air conditioner is a 9,000 BTU unit, it consumes approximately 1050 watts. If you operate the A/C 24-hours per day your monthly kWh usage is about 766.50 kWh. At 8.22 pesos per kWh the monthly cost of operating the A/C is approximately 6,300 pesos per month.

Window air conditioners normally consume 50% of the monthly energy in an apartment.

So it appears that you are paying a great deal for the comfort of A/C.

On balance the 6,300 pesos appears to be correct. The balance of your monthly bill is generated by lighting, refrigeration, television, radio etc.

In the US the monthly cost of operating the A/C would be about 3,679 pesos ($76.65 US) @ a kWh rate of $ .10 US per kWh.

However the kWh rate in the Dominican Rebublic equates to a $ .17 per kWh rate in the US. That is extremely high. Also compared to the increase from 3.35$DR to 8.22$DR you have just experienced a rate increase of 245% and that is out landish.

Keep in mind that the electrical generators in the DR have been suffering great losses because of non payment of bills from the government, the increase in fuel costs and the fact that they supply a great deal of energy to houses that do not ever pay for the use of the power.

Be prepared for further increases if the economy continues to slide backward.
 

ustelephone

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Mar 31, 2004
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It's a small 12 BTU unit, and it only runs at night from around 11pm till 9am. Other than that, I have a PC on for a few hours, a refrigerator, a TV I never watch, and 2 light bulbs. Also, I have done anything different since October, nothing.

The meter is reading the numbers they are billing. I just can't understand how my consumption could increase so much in one month, and at the same time, they increase they double the KWH charge.

I realize that options in resolving these types of problems are limited, but I am grateful that we have this forum. At least we can look for new solutions. Someone, somewhere in authority in this country must have an interest in our (foreigners) remaining here. Anybody think it's worth joining the American Chamber of Commerce to be 'more connected', or is this just another rip off?

I will say this, if I can't resolve this, I'm just going to consider it an R & R tax. As many before me have said on this site, all the problems here don't out way the stress everywhere else in the 'developed world'.

I'm going to have that CubaLibre ahora!
 
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Gringo

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Jan 1, 2002
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The Gringo, Gringa Conspiracy...........

Gringo said:
I live in a large house with 6 apartments attached on the same meter in Pto.Pta.(no a/c)

We just paid our bill this month and I thought it was high at RD $ 9760.00.
It runs around the RD$ 7500.00 area each month....

It sounds to me that you are using a lot of A/C or maybe you have other apartments attached to your service and are not aware of this!

Better take a large Cuba Libre along with your 2 Valium.

Good Luck

Gringo

I also want to add and I think its very Important ( The Gringo, Gringa Conspiracy)

Our place has the Electric contract in my Dominican wife's name, I know without a doubt that if it was in say Fred Smiths name the monthly rate would be a GRINGO PRICE! and that's a fact Jack.....

Good Luck

Gringo
 

gringo in dr

New member
May 29, 2003
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My bill is still in the name of the last person that lived here. I always send a dominican to pay my bill also.

My bill has gone up quite a bit, but it's still just a few pesos over 2,000 per month. This is with a wife, two kids, trace 3.6 kw invertor and a maid that runs the whirlpool washer and dryer 6 days per week.

I would suggest you cancel the contract. Send a dominican friend in to open a new contract. When they ask what he is running, have him say 2 light bulbs and a small fridge.

Then watch a reasonable bill show up.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
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Gringos don't pay any higher price than Dominicans do for utilities here in the DR. Everybody pays the same basic rates.

That said however, Dominican neighbors won't hesitate to tap into a gringo neighbor's supply of electricity if you are in anything but a rich neighborhood. Go to your meter, and follow the line all the way back to your walls. Look for anything that's not right. All it takes is one little line that taps into your supply to increase your bill by several thousand pesos a month. Maybe your neighbor is getting free A/C for HIS sleeping comfort from YOU, hehe.

Also, most residential meters are only read now and then, and your bill is an "expected usage" for most months. Of course, they will read it periodically, and if it is off by a great deal, you will see a big jump that month. You can go and close out the account, but then expect to pay for whatever reading is now on the meter, and the hassle of getting the meter pulled, and then re-installed.

Suerte.
 

ustelephone

Member
Mar 31, 2004
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After calling, which did alot, I went to the office today in Gazcue. After a nice 2 mile walk in the rain and a 1/2 hour wait in an emtpy office, the nice lady told me to come back Thursday. Why, because it isn't ready yet. What isn't ready yet? Come back next Thursday and we'll tell you.

Such a deal.
 

Peter & Alex

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May 3, 2003
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Electricity Tariff

Had a nice chat with the Edenorte Manager in Sosua re the increases in electricity costs!!
It would appear that if you use over 700 kWh per month you will now pay RD$ 7.31 per kWh for the whole Energia used! (April rate).
Keep it below 700 kWh and you are back on the previous tariff system of paying RD$ 'x' for the first 200, RD$ 'y' for the next 100 and RD$ 'z' for the remainder.
Use over 800 kWh and the rate increases again for the whole amount used!
Hope this helps in deciphering the increases in monthly bills?
Peter
 

ustelephone

Member
Mar 31, 2004
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www.ecoislandadventures.com
Ah hah!

The information provided to me by all of you has been extremely helpful. I believe now, after all has been explained, that it is not an error. The reading of the meter once every 3-4 months, and then averaging out the usage, combined with the increase the tariff above 800 KWH, explains why my bill is so high. I have been monitoring my meter daily now, and I am consuming around 15 KWH per day. When I average this out over the year I have been here, it all makes sense.

I have made some changes around the house. Ceiling fans in all rooms, fluorescent bulbs, and even some oil lamps. Also, I am turning off all of the breakers when I leave and then verifying that the meter is STOPPED. Also, I am heating my water for baths and laundry on the propane stove (gas is included with maintenance here) instead of with electric. May sound a little drastic, but I'd rather give the casino my money than the electric company.
 
ustelephone said:
I have made some changes around the house. Ceiling fans in all rooms, fluorescent bulbs, and even some oil lamps. Also, I am turning off all of the breakers when I leave and then verifying that the meter is STOPPED. Also, I am heating my water for baths and laundry on the propane stove (gas is included with maintenance here) instead of with electric. May sound a little drastic, but I'd rather give the casino my money than the electric company.

... Back to the year 1400..... As long as you dont show up in the casino dressed in a munk-robe..Hehehehe :cheeky: