Long maldito blackouts

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AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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I think we better get ready for long dark, hot blackouts from now on. It seems the blackouts are back. When I came home yesterday from work (6:20pm), I had no lights. I don't know when the lights went out. I turned on my computer, turned on fan and started to play on pc. I chatted with Dr1er till 11pm when the lights came back. So I turned on my a/c and decided to watch a movie on TV through my PC (connected to TV). The movie was "the bucket list".
I didn't realize the lights went out shortly after. When I had realized the lights were gone again, I figured they will come back shortly because we always have lights at night. So I let my inverter run a few extra rounds in hopes to have lights come back soon. To my disappointment the lights never came back and my inverter discharged completely. All of the sudden, I found my self in a dark cave. No lights, no fan. Yikexxxxx. Then to make matters worse, the lights didn't come back the whole night. It came at 7am, when it was time for me to wake up anyway. Wait, what wake up??? I never slept :(
So I have a feeling, the black outs are here to stay and we better learn to live through this hot summer with a fan.
AZB
 

Thandie

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Nov 27, 2007
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I am surprised about the frequency of the blackouts in downtown Puerto Plata, even though I have lived in various Caribbean islands. Including in the country in JA and Havana Cuba (surprisingly less blackouts in these places? Curious as to why?)
Luckily I love the heat and hate air conditioning and fans, and live in an area where there is a lot of breeze.
Thankfully I was wise enough to bring a wind up batterless mini camping light and flash light!
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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I have noticed the blackouts have been more frequent here in Gurabo too. I guess all the funcionarios have all spent the money on campaigning.

As my batteries are all but useless, we have bought some candles and are trying to tough it out until I can buy some more.

Fortunately, I have gotten used to living w/o an ac, yet I use a fan when needed. In fact I prefer to be just warm enough to maybe be a little moist but not sweating. I also sleep with a comforter at night and sometimes wake up and find I am sweating, but for me that is how I sleep more comfortably now. I have to go back to the States in June for a month and I am already dreading the ac. I have to wear a jacket or sweater anymore in the home and office where I will be staying and working. I always seem to get my sinuses all stopped up too.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Sound like they're over-confident or this is a genuine aver?a (possibly due to the tornadoes). Usually they pull out all stops to keep the electricity supply as good as possible until the election, and then relax.

Thandie - it's incredibly complex - deteriorated infrastructure, deep-rooted corruption, clientilism and mismanagement at all levels. poor barrios are allowed to get away with not paying, as are certain rich individuals and businesses.
 

guandulera

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Apr 22, 2008
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I guess I better get ready for calor y mas calor at night. My family lives in Santo Domingo and they say the same things. They say they are actually surprise when there is electricity. I'm coming on my vacations in June and my 6 year old son is coming with me. He does not have experience with blackout and sure doesn't like to be in the dark. oh well I wonder which government is ever going to pay real atention to the matter.
 

Thandie

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Nov 27, 2007
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Chiriomaya,

Yes all those 'issues' you mentioned are unfortunately all too common in the developing world...sadly too common!
But was not expecting it to happen 'so' often here in downtown Puerta Plata?
Life in the Caribbean.
Just a bit of a concern when I was out twice in the past week at night and the lights went out and had to get a taxi home which took a while.
I guess I need to bring a toothbrush to my friends house just in case I need to crash for the night!
 

rio2003

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Aug 16, 2006
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Hi everyone,

It's like taking me back in time - daily power cuts again huh!

I realise that the poor should be paying for electricity and shouldn't be stealing it but.....
The electricity company is charging 2000RD$ to supply power to each home in the area that my friend lives in. Her wages for 15days are 1500RD$ and that is for herself and 3 kids to live on. How on earth is she supposed to find this money?

It does not seem an awful lot of money until you compare it to what the poorer people are earning - and then it seems like a fortune.

My 2 pesos

Rio
 

Thandie

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Nov 27, 2007
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I guess I better get ready for calor y mas calor at night. My family lives in Santo Domingo and they say the same things. They say they are actually surprise when there is electricity. I'm coming on my vacations in June and my 6 year old son is coming with me. He does not have experience with blackout and sure doesn't like to be in the dark. oh well I wonder which government is ever going to pay real atention to the matter.

Yes the little one may be frightened by the blackout!
Go to your local camping store and buy the wind up non battery opperated camping light for him. Mine is the size of a night lamp and it does not get warm and is made from plastic. So he can wind it up himself and have light! And you never have to worry about batteries!
I am very nervous about candles, especially around kids!

I brought a few to Cuba last year as gifts and they were VERY well recieved and my Dominican friends here want me to bring some for them when they return.


Mine is similar to this but only cost me about $15 Cdn dollars @ a place called Factory Direct in Toronto or Chinatown. And the non battery operated, wind up small flashlights cost about $4 dollars.

Freeplay Indigo Lantern Self Powered Wind Up LED Table Top Tabletop Free Play Electronic Electronics Self Sufficient Energy Rechargeable Green Yellow
 

reese_in_va

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Feb 22, 2007
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The tornado's certainly caused damage to a main line. I am at a juction, high tension and the main suppy was out for almost three day's.
I agree in full as to chirimoya's explanation. It is complex. The only way to get around it and have a consistant power supply is to get OFF the grid. Easier spoken than done. Many people live in rural areas and this is a problem. For us in the woods, it is a neccessity to be in control of our own energy. A simple inverter won't cut it. The supply of available power is inadaquate to the demand. Batteries never get a full charge.
Just thankful for the rain here, need something to keep grateful of living in the DR.
 

guandulera

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Apr 22, 2008
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Thanks Thandie I definitly have to do that. Oh about the candles I am scare too. I have a mark in my back. In highschool we had to take a test with candles or wait for who know when. We just wante to get out so we choose candles now I regret it. It wasn't so bad though. I mean it was not a mayor burn.
 

Keith R

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Jan 1, 2002
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The more things change, the more they stay the same. This sounds just like 10 yrs ago when I lived in SD. In fact, it sounds like 1986, when I first visited the DR with my new bride. :ermm:
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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On the bright side, i was able to finish seeing my movie "the bucket list" . This is an excellent movie with legendary actors Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.
AZB
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
Hi everyone,

It's like taking me back in time - daily power cuts again huh!

I realise that the poor should be paying for electricity and shouldn't be stealing it but.....
The electricity company is charging 2000RD$ to supply power to each home in the area that my friend lives in. Her wages for 15days are 1500RD$ and that is for herself and 3 kids to live on. How on earth is she supposed to find this money?

It does not seem an awful lot of money until you compare it to what the poorer people are earning - and then it seems like a fortune.

My 2 pesos

Rio

This can't be the normal monthly fee, as I pay only RD1600 a month and I have a two story house with fridge, computers, tv's and like 28 light bulbs. The typical cost for people in poor areas is around RD400. They typically don't have inverters and have maybe 4 bulbs on at any time and a tv, fan, radio and fridge.
 

rio2003

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Aug 16, 2006
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Connection charge

This can't be the normal monthly fee, as I pay only RD1600 a month and I have a two story house with fridge, computers, tv's and like 28 light bulbs. The typical cost for people in poor areas is around RD400. They typically don't have inverters and have maybe 4 bulbs on at any time and a tv, fan, radio and fridge.

No sorry Chip - I didn't make it clear. This is a CONNECTION fee. They supply and fit a meter and just wire the house to the pole outside.
Then they pay their bills like you or the next man....... or not!
:ermm:
Rio
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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No problems here in Julieta, Santo Domingo. We get the odd 10-30 min black out, but that's it. We used to be preoccupied with them, but in the last 2 years things have gotten so much better it's almost a novelty. I hope I don't jinx myself now :)
 

guandulera

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Apr 22, 2008
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so I was mis-inform

Robert is the blackout in Santo Domingo less than an hour because if that's the case I think that my people were trying to scare me or something. No that this would actually preventing me from comming but they could not exagerated more............
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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I think Chiri is right, these sudden blackouts maybe due to the disturbance in la vega.
We have been having pretty constant electric in my area for some time now.
AZB
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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Robert is the blackout in Santo Domingo less than an hour because if that's the case I think that my people were trying to scare me or something. No that this would actually preventing me from comming but they could not exagerated more............

All depends what part of the city your staying?

Some of the very poor barrios still 4-12hr blackouts. Other sectors have pretty much 24x7 power.
 
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