The administrator of the Corporación Dominicana de Electricidad, Radhamés Segura said that he based himself on Law 848, dating to 23 February 1933, that states that it is against the law to interrupt a public service without justified reasons. Reportedly, the company sought to pressure the CDE into finalizing a payment due to services rendered. According to press reports, the CDE had just made a payment of US$50 million towards arrears of US$95 million owed to the AES Dominican Power company, and was about to make another payment of US$25 million towards the debt. Radhamés Segura said that "If we accepted what the AES was doing, which was taking out 220 megawatts from the system, it would bring about a chain reaction which would produce the collapse of the national electricity grid," he said. Segura ordered the militarization of the power plant park that is located in Los Minas. on Friday to pressure for the payment. The impasse, with the military intervention, was resolved half an hour after. Segura said that in addition to technical reasons, to pressure for the payment, there are other reasons, which he did not specify. "I have said that, and I leave that to the interpretation of you. In criminology when a dead person is found, the first suspects are those that would benefit from the death," said Segura. Press commentators speculate that the company’s pulling of the plug sought to harm the present government in its aspirations to win more seats in Congress. Elections are scheduled for 16 May. The improvement of the energy service is seen as crucial to the convincing of Dominicans to vote for the PLD candidates.
