Superintendent of Electricity Francisco Mendez said Dominicans are paying for an expensive and very bad and precarious energy service, when referring to the high rates paid by consumers which he believes reflect the inefficiency of electric distributors and the structural flaws in the sector. According to Listin Diario, the official stated that electric distribution companies must do their work and cannot continue giving excuses. The strategy should be to increase the commercial treatment given to users, to catch users who steal the service, and penalize those who incur in fraud and other aspects that damage the service. Mendez said the distribution companies have not met the levels they forecast and that is why radical decisions have had to be made in their administrations. They have never received payments so regularly. To date this year the government has allocated US$400 million that have contributed to keep the service stable. He also reported the World Bank has approved a US$150 million loan which still has to be passed in Congress. Mid-morning yesterday, the electric deficit was 23% of the demand.