News reports indicate that long blackouts continued throughout the nation, despite Decree 709-01 that mandated power companies to discontinue the practice of applying global and indiscriminate power interruptions in marginal neighborhoods with a large percentage of non-payers. Blackouts were longer in the Cibao where the Smith and Enron power plant is out of service, due to a major mechanical favor according to El Siglo newspaper. Diario Libre newspaper says that the generator and distributor companies now attribute the blackouts to maintenance activities. Union Fenosa affiliates and AES announced they would respect the decree and continue talks with the government.
