The national power grid suffered two complete nationwide blackouts in 48 hours. These outages took place at 2:41pm on Sunday and at 2:11pm on Monday. Power generation is said to be averaging 700 megawatts, which is about one third of the demand at peak hours. Power plants have shut down or reduced their output, given their cash-flow and fuel-supply problems. As a consequence, blackouts of 20 hours are standard in areas not serviced by independent power systems.
The breakdown of the national power grid has turned areas such as La Romana, Bayahibe, Las Terrenas and Punta Cana, which rely on their independent power systems, into an oasis for those seeking a blackout-free existence.