Radhames Segura, general administrator of the state electricity utility (CDE), clarified that it is not true that the Smith Enron power plant corporation continues to charge as per installed capacity. He said that during his administration, the contract was renegotiated. He said that now the state only pays per generated electricity. Likewise, he said the CDE negotiated the alleged debt of US$64 million down to US$26 million. He said the company bills the kilowatt at 8.3 cents (US$) down from 9.77 cents at the time the contract was signed in 1994. The Listin Diario newspaper said that the Smith Enron contract was signed in the administration of Marcos Subero on 26 July 1993 and amended on 2 November 1994 during the administration of Moises Blanco Genao. Earlier, a news report had said the contract was signed during the administration of Amilcar Romero. This was during the Balaguer administration. Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez and several others have criticized the contract. The Puerto Plata-based plant has had serious technical problems since its start that have affected its generation capacity. Likewise its supposedly environmentally-friendly operation forced the closing of a hotel in the area.
