Ignacio de Alvaro Gonzalez, spokesman for Edenorte and Edesur, the two Union Fenosa power distributors, says that the companies won a fair and transparent tender to privatize a bankrupt company. He defended the operation saying that since starting operation in August 1999, the companies have lost US$234 million, or an average of US$14 million a month. He said they have invested around US$500 million in the country. He criticized the stand taken by former CDE administrator Radhames Segura (during the government of Leonel Fernandez) and present CDE administrator Cesar Sanchez. He said they are not helping to create an environment in which the electricity crisis could be resolved. De Alvaro urged political interests to stay out of the dealings. He said that was the whole reason for privatizing the CDE, despite the state continuing on as owner of half of the companies. He admitted that the process has not been what it should have been because Congress failed to pass the General Energy Bill during the previous administration. This has obliged them to operate as a concession of the CDE.
