Presidential candidate for the PLD, Leonel Fernandez, favors the participation by private enterprise both in the generation and commercial aspects of the electricity industry. He said that the government cannot continue to forego the collection of monies for some 55% of the power it provides, because of the CDE’s present failure to properly charge consumers. He said that while the corporation is obliged to pay 100% for the power it purchases from private suppliers, it is only collecting 45% from its customers. He feels that the need to approve the General Electricity Bill currently lying in Congress has become very urgent. He said, however, that that does not mean that the CDE has to sell its assets.
He said that one of the first tasks of a PLD government will be to install two combined cycle power stations that will add 250 megawatts to the national electricity grid in a period of 12 to 18 months.
He feels it is important that the private sector be allowed to invest in the production, generation and commercialization of electricity in the Dominican Republic.