While the Dominican Republic’s electricity system is showing initial signs of improvement, the Unified Council of Electricity Distribution Companies (CUED) asserts that fraud remains the primary adversary hindering its full recovery, N Digital reports. The CUED recently addressed concerns about losses within the distribution companies, highlighting concrete advancements while urging society and the media to join the resolute fight against electricity theft. The CUED is the head electricity entity.
Recent data indicates tangible progress in containing losses, particularly within Edenorte and Edeeste. According to official reports from the Ministry of Energy, Edenorte reduced its losses from 26.1% to 25% in the first four months of 2025. Over the same period, Edeeste saw a modest but significant decrease from 55% to 54.5%. This marks a notable shift in a system that has grappled with structural deterioration for years.
In contrast, Edesur recorded an increase in losses. CUED attributes this primarily to a strategic decision to cancel contracts with large, unregulated users who were paying tariffs significantly below the actual cost of generation. CUED emphasizes that this action, far from an attempt to manipulate figures, represents a crucial step towards the distributor’s financial sustainability.
CUED stresses that analyzing the electricity situation solely through general averages obscures the nuanced dynamics and ongoing efforts. Reversing losses, they explain, demands time, consistency, and a long-term vision.
Despite initial limitations in early 2025 due to a shortage of critical materials like transformers and meters, the latter half of 2024 and the current year have witnessed a sustained deployment of investments, technology, and technical personnel.
During this period, investments exceeding RD$4.3 billion have been executed. These initiatives include the rehabilitation of 494 kilometers of networks, the installation of over 639,000 smart meters, and the formalization of 353,000 new contracts. Many of these new contracts are in sectors historically excluded from the formal system. These advancements have not only improved infrastructure but have also led to increased collection, now surpassing US$2 billion annually – a record figure for the distribution companies (EDES).
The enduring threat of fraud
Despite these significant strides, CUED unequivocally states that electricity fraud remains a major impediment to the system’s development. In some urban and residential sectors, up to 30% of users are reportedly connected illegally. Brigades attempting to install meters or correct irregular connections are often met with hostility, even when these same users receive 24-hour electricity. CUED asserts that the culture of impunity surrounding electricity theft must be firmly challenged with societal support.
To combat this, CUED has intensified legal actions against contractors, users, and organized networks engaged in fraud. They are also implementing remote control systems, panels with anti-tampering alarms, and payment agreements for delinquent customers. This comprehensive approach combines technological solutions with institutional resolve.
For decades, especially in the interior provinces, the culture has been that “the poor do not pay for power.” The new authorities at CUED seek to change this mentality in the name of the sustainability and growth of the power service.
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N Digital
Diario Libre
15 July 2025