What the general public doesn?t realize is that some of the electricity suppliers are really middlemen, buying and selling electricity. Now they are in the public eye, however, because some of them have not been paying their bills. El Caribe newspaper reports today that private producers like Monte Rio, Union Fenosa and Seaboard, who supply EGE-Haina and AES-Andres with energy that they in turn pass on to EDE-Norte, EDE-Sur and EDE-Este for distribution, are owed over RD$655 million pesos. The three suppliers have initiated legal proceedings against Ege-Haina and AES for payment of energy provided during the month of February and partial payment on a debt accumulated over the past seven months. El Caribe?s story says that despite the fact that the cited companies have received large sums from the government, they have done nothing to pay their debts. As a result of this issue, several of the power providers have reduced their output, thus causing long blackouts all over the country this past weekend. One of the suggestions that the power companies have forwarded to the superintendent?s office has been the suspension of ?spot sales? of energy unless the buyer is up to date on his payments.
Haina owes Monte Rio, RD$78 million, Seaboard, RD$204 million and Palamara and La Vega, RD$119 million pesos. AES owes Monte Rio RD484 million, Seaboard, RD$92 million, and Palamara and La Vega RD$76 million pesos.