The National District neighborhood known as El Manguito has become a model for resolving disputes between the electricity distribution companies and customers in the poorest areas of the country. Since the beginning of May of last year, according to Listin Diario reporter Ircania Vasquez, the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) has been implementing a program of prepaid electricity service along with refurbishing the electricity lines. As a result, local residents have demonstrated their willingness to pay, consumption has fallen to nearly half the previous levels and losses have all but disappeared, going from 93% to just 5% in just one year.
According to community leader Amin Lora, before the program was introduced, the barrio, home to nearly 2000 families, had a demand for electricity that reached 1,400,000 kw/h and they regularly experienced 12-hour blackouts. Today the area is on a 24-hour circuit and the demand has nearly been halved at 750,000 kw/h. All of this shows that consumers can learn how to save energy and they are willing to pay for good service. The prepaid system is now in place for 78% of the barrio and the other 22% have had regular electricity meters installed.