The government has announced that a 180 megawatt power barge will fire up in October. The plant will back up the Smith Enron plant that provides 40% of the needs of the north and central provinces of the country. The Keppel Fels Energy barge, from the Philippines, will use fuel oil No. 6. The plant is said to generate power at a much lower cost than the Smith Enron power plant located in Puerto Plata. On Tuesday, 19 June, Smith Enron shut down to protest a government debt to the power company of US$14 million. This resulted in a 15-hour blackout in many cities in the north and central provinces. The blackout coincided with the national protest day. Edwin Croes, financial advisor to the Dominican Electricity Corporation, welcomes the installation of the new plant which will reduce the area’s dependency on the Smith Enron plant. Jose Ovalles, Superintendent of Electricity, said the 180 megawatts to be provided by the new barge are part of the 1,000 megawatts to be installed by the end of the year in order to deal with a power crisis that is forcing the government to purchase high cost power.
