NewsWhore
05-21-2009, 04:00 PM
Superintendent of Electricity Francisco Mendez said on Wednesday that the choice was between tariff rate increases and blackouts. According to El Nuevo Diario, Mendez did not specify by what percentage the government will be increasing the rates and when this would go into effect. "We are faced with a dilemma of either increasing the blackouts, or the government spending more money on the electricity sector, money it does not have, or readjusting the electricity rates which have been frozen for three years and five months," said Mendez in an interview with Claudia Fernandez for CDN2 television. The official said that over the last three years the government has paid out over US$550 million in electricity subsidies, US$487 million in 2008 alone. The official said that two power barges would be installed to serve the Cibao region, one in Samana and the other in Manzanillo. They are set to provide 240 megawatts for the region. As a result of the financial crisis in the electricity sector, energy supplies have fallen by 5%, now providing just 80% of demand.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)