Energy crisis is worst in Cibao

[NewsWhore]

"We have to tackle the situation," was all a powerless Superintendent of Electricity Francisco Mendez could say, while describing the crisis as "very worrying". According to the official, the crisis situation is not likely to change before Monday or Tuesday. Since one of the units that failed to come on line was San Felipe (the former Smith-Enron) in Puerto Plata, power cuts were longest in the Cibao region. The deficit reached 188 megawatts. The system generated electricity for only 60% of demand, leaving 199 circuits without power. The hope of things getting better in the supply of electricity rest with the arrival of ships loaded with fuel. The delay in payments to the generating companies by the distributors and the government caused the system to falter through the reduction in electricity generation. According to Hoy newspaper, the deterioration in the electricity supply has led to heated protests from industrial, business and community leaders. Mendez said yesterday, "We have problems with all circuits and we will continue like this at least until Monday or Tuesday". On Friday night, when the situation seemed to be less serious, generation totaled 1,450 megawatts in the face of a demand for 1,992 megawatts. The superintendent said that the situation yesterday was "pretty serious. Some 199 circuits are out of service, 1015 megawatts are on line, and demand is for 1,675. This gives us a 39% deficit." He said that the former Smith-Enron generator, with the capacity to produce 180 megawatts, was supposed to enter service yesterday, but it didn't. Mendez said, "I suppose it will enter tomorrow, and then we have to manage to get through this situation."

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