Energy's surplus

[NewsWhore]

According to AES Dominicana president Marco de la Rosa, the DR's energy sector will need a cash infusion of US$3.4 billion over the next five years. De la Rosa said that US$2.2 billion needs to be spent on updating the current energy grid and on energy generation. An added US$300 million must be invested in increasing the efficiency of energy transmission. The concern, however, is how to obtain these funds at a time when the national energy sector is experiencing record losses. According to Radhames Segura, vice president of the leading state electricity corporation, the CDEEE, the investment could be greater than the numbers presented by de la Rosa. Segura says that the country needs to spend US$3 billion on installing energy plants that could generate between 1,800MW and 2,000MW. Segura, quoted in Hoy, says the nation's current energy system is obsolete. He mentioned Haina I and IV, as well as Puerto Plata I and II and the plants at Itabo. Segura also spoke on the eventual need for more energy production. According to Segura, by 2011 the nation will need a total of 4,063MW to meet national demand. They made their comments during a panel discussion organized by the American Chamber of Commerce. During the event, former Dominican Republic Industries Association president Celso Marranzini called on the government to maintain only a facilitator and regulatory role in the electricity sector. "Year after year the business sector has to hear promises that the government will resolve the electricity sector, and we are only sinking deeper", said Marranzini, as reported in El Caribe. He called for clear rules of the game and ridding the sector of politics.

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