President Leonel Fernandez appointed Radhames Segura administrator of the Corporacion Dominicana de Empresas Electricas Estatales. Segura will also head the Ede-Norte and Ede-Sur power distributors that were bought back by the Mejia government from the Spanish company, Union Fenosa. Segura was in charge of the CDE during the final two years of the previous Fernandez administration, and was critical of the privatization contracts signed at the time.
Temistocles Montas, Technical Secretary of the Presidency announced that a US$65 million line of credit has been made available so as to reduce the hours of blackouts affecting the Dominican Republic. Montas made the announcement upon swearing in Segura. He explained that the funds were secured prior to the start of the new government.
President Fernandez in his inaugural speech acknowledged the Dominican government maintains a debt of US$400 million with the power companies. Marta Fernandez, of Ege Haina, told the Listin that the improvement in the service is due to general expectations amongst power companies that payments will be forthcoming.
Diario Libre reports that Cogentrix, AES, Compania de Electricidad de Puerto Plata, and Union Fenosa power plants are still not online.
Montas said the supply of propane gas would also be resumed in the short term, as reported in the Listin Diario.