Temístocles Montás, general manager of the Corporación Dominicana de Electricidad, CDE, said that the biggest headache of the state electricity utility is the operation of the Smith-Enron power plant in Puerto Plata. He said that in the past eight months that company has been unable to maintain its optimum production levels for even 15 consecutive days. "That unit may work four days providing 175 megawatts, and the fifth day it will descend to 60 megawatts, then to 40 megawatts," said Montás. The contract underwritten by the CDE with the Smith-Enron obliges the state utility to pay for installed capacity and not for energy served. Montás has said that contract is an example of how not to underwrite a contract. The CDE is dependent on private generators for up to 50% of the energy served to local consumers.
