News reports say that the CDE, the state electricity utility, check for RD$400 million could not be cashed because of lack of funds in the bank. Thus private producers announced they will continue to keep their plants shut down. The private producers want to collect now past debts and are pressuring the government to get up to date in payments. There is apprehension that the next government will not honor previous commitments and they will have a harder time collecting. Consumers are caught in the middle of the debate, left now to suffer from what are called "financial blackouts." The private generators are demanding payment of May and June billing. Administrator of the CDE Radhamés Segura said that President-elect Hipólito Mejía’s advice to the companies to collect now, insinuating that he will not pay the bills, has created new problems. "These are big pressures at a time when the government does not have the financial capacity to increase the pace of payments being made up to now," said Radhames Segura.
