As far as the poor barrios, the state supports "non-payment" by poor barrios via state subsidies to the EDEs. I don't know how is this program called. But on the other hand I hear that this exact state subsidy system IS the problem to blackouts .... I cannot understand this. If there is a subsidy by government, EDEs should have money... so what's the problem? Or would that be that the government is not paying the subsidy? I cannot imagine that because I read now and then how many billions the government spent on electricity subsidies.... so where is the truth, and what is the problem?
The government pays a subsidy that covers part of the costs of electricity flowing into impoverished areas, but the problem is that the part that is supposed to be paid by the customers are not being paid, but also there is widespread theft, as everyone knows.
When the government doesn't pay the subsidies, the country is plunged into longer than usual blackouts and/or darkness for days and this did happened in the previous administration when they failed to pay the subsidy, and also, the National Palace was plunged into darkness when the palace' electric bill was not paid, as was reported at that time. So, obviously the subsidies paid by the government have plenty to do with the electricity that does reach many areas of the country. Had the subsidies not been in place, the blackouts would have been longer and/or huge swathes of the country would simply be without electricity 24/7.
The biggest problem, I think, is widespread theft and lack of investment in the grid itself for effective distribution. The potential supply of electricity available is above current demand, so that is not the problem.
Having said all of that, the EDEs have been working on a small scale in getting customers to pay for electricity and in return they get improved service, often times with little to no blackouts. Hundreds of circuits are already in this plan in many places across the DR, however they are mostly in middle class areas. Don't know if the plan can be successful in the lower class area given the prevailing attitude in those neighborhoods where residents feel that they are entitled to free continuous electricity for sole reason that they are poor.
In so many ways, that mentality, the desire of getting something for nothing, the feeling of being entitled to something without paying for it just because they are poor; is the main stumbling block in eradicating blackouts on a nationwide scale. It is possible to eradicate blackouts and in many cases its occurring, on highly localized areas (neighborhoods in Santo Domingo, Jarabacoa, Santiago, San Pedro, etc); but for a full grid recovery that persistent sentiment of entitlement needs to be addressed and eliminated.
-NALs