During a visit to Sabana del Rey in La Vega on Sunday, 10 January 2016, President Danilo Medina described the systematic work that his government has been carrying out to solve the electricity problems. He said the Dominican Republic was on its way to putting an end to blackouts. He stated that when the two coal-fired plants in Punta Catalina, Peravia province enter into operation they would supply 700 megawatts of energy, which would make a significant contribution to the establishment of more 24-hour power circuits.
Medina was speaking about the electricity situation in response to a request from three farmers’ groups that were asking for permanent power for their irrigation pumps.
The Presidency reports that Medina told farmers he had approved a RD$23.2 million loan for 258 small and medium-scale plantain, cassava and sweet potato growers. They had originally asked for RD$28.9 million but Medina offered them a donation of more than RD$6 million via the Dominican Agrarian Institute to cover the cost of the three pumps they needed.
Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Jose Ramon Peralta, and Public Works and Agriculture Ministers Gonzalo Castillo and Angel Estevez accompanied President Medina on the Sunday visit, along with Agricultural Bank administrator Carlos Segura Foster, Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD) director Emilio Olivo, Antonio Lopez of the Special Fund for Agricultural Development (FEDA), Justo Guzman, executive coordinator of the Presidency Special Projects Program, the Head of the Military Aides Corps Adan Caceres and presidential assistants Carlos Pared Perez and Robert de la Cruz.
http://presidencia.gob.do/noticias/danilo-medina-afirma-se-acerca-fin-de-los-apagones-con-plantas-a-carbon
