The Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gazprom International and Transgaz Caribe for importing Russian natural gas, as reported in Hoy. The companies’ representative in the Dominican Republic is Ricardo Canalda. Ruben Jimenez Bichara, executive vice president of CDEEE, the government electricity holding company, signed for the Dominican government. Jimenez said that the agreement is part of the CDEEE’s efforts to replace more costly petrol fuel. Canalda said that it should not take more than a year and a half for Russian natural gas supplies to become available. Gazprom is regarded as the world’s biggest natural gas producer.