The administrator of the Dominican Electricity Corporation, Cesar Sanchez told the press that the government subsidy to increases in petrol costs, inflation and devaluation of the peso will no longer be absorbed by the government, as reported in El Siglo newspaper. This adds up to about RD$300 million a month. He said that instead the government will implement a plan to directly subsidize consumers in poor barrios that traditionally have not paid for the service. The power distributors have been unable to get these consumers to pay, so far. Sanchez said that in a month’s time, consumers that pay will get a notice on their bill with a breakdown of the amount that the government is subsidizing. In two or three months, the distributors will be charged this subsidy. Since privatization, those that pay electricity bills in the DR have seen their bills constantly go up. The administrator of the CDE says the new plan is to relieve the distributors of the losses they report due to the large number of consumers that do not pay for the service. He announced, as a result of the agreement, the distributors will begin to make payments on a debt of RD $1,700 million with the generators that will reduce the blackouts. Seemingly in contradiction, President Hipolito Mejia said yesterday that everyone would have to pay for power consumed, regardless of social condition or place of residence. President Mejia also urged that Congress pass the general electricity bill that has been sitting in Congress through three different governments, burdened by special interests. The director of the CDE, Cesar Sanchez announced an investment of RD$127 million in the construction of a 138-megawatt transmission line linking Hainamosa, Boca Chica and Juan Dolio in San Pedro de Macoris.
