Finance Minister Rafael Calderon and CDEEE manager Cesar Sanchez during the press conference expressed the government position that under the Electricity Law they could intervene in the generation companies? operations if they do not reconnect to the system.
Otherwise, the spokesmen for the Mejia administration?s electric sector have no proposals ready to confront the present crisis despite they confirmed yesterday that power generation continues to decline. As reported in Hoy newspaper, power generation is presently supplying only half of the demand, resulting in long hours of blackouts and increasing costs to businesses and residences that must rely on their own alternate power sources. Hoy newspaper says that only 800 megawatts were available nationwide, when the demand on the central electric grid is usually 1,600 megawatts at peak hours. At present, hydroelectric power stations are said to be contributing 50% of the power available.
Calderon attributed the financial problems to delays in receiving funding from the World Bank. Funding would be used to pay for fuel.
As reported in Hoy, Lisandro Macarrulla, the president of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic, stated: ?We understand there is a lack of responsibility and of confronting problems that need to be confronted.? He explained that the power crisis is a mortal wound to the industrial sector, mentioning the sector is receiving higher power bills despite the long blackouts.
?We understand that traditionally the power sector has been a problem in the country, it is not a new problem, but at the present time, when we are paying the highest rate of all the countries that compete with us in open markets, we cannot continue with the luxury of keeping such a costly and deficient service,? he said.
While speaking at a mass celebrated on occasion of the 45th anniversary of the 14 June expedition to overthrow Dictator Trujillo, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez said yesterday that the Dominican people are literally in the dark and called the situation inexcusable as no one in the government is willing to confront the situation.