NewsWhore
05-29-2009, 04:10 PM
A study by international consulting firm Adam Smith Institute for the Dominican State-run Electricity Companies (CDEEE) reveals that the country needs to install 3,135 megawatts of power between 2009 and 2016 if it is to keep up with its energy needs. Currently 1,776.4 megawatts are available, which means that generation needs to increase by 176.4%, as reported in Clave newspaper. The data is part of a study "Projections for the Demand of Energy and Potential Energy Required for the Period 2009-2016," dated March 2009. According to the study 2,123 megawatts are needed.
Jose Luis Moreno San of the UASD state university's Energy Institute says the country is four years behind in installing generation units to keep up with demand. He said that at least 1,600 megawatts should have been installed since 2004, but nothing has been done.
Diez warned that the availability of supply to the national electric grid could be reduced even further if mining company Barrick Gold is successful in negotiating the purchase of power from the generators Estrella del Mar, Estrella del Norte and Monte Rio plants, a total of 276.3 megawatts.
Moreno also forecast an additional deficit of 600 megawatts for 2012, because historically demand has grown by 5% every year. He said the demand in 2008 is 2,056 megawatts and maximum supplied is 1,682 megawatts.
The private sector has asked the government to change its energy team, starting with CDEEE president Radhames Segura. The president of the Herrera Industrial Association, Manuel Cabrera said the government team has failed to find a solution to the energy problem. The president of the Dominican Republic Industries Association (AIRD) Manuel Diez Cabral described the current CDEEE administration as "a complete failure." Segura blames the private sector for not making the investments.
The CDEEE study shows that demand grew by an average rate of 5.91% every year over the last two decades.
The Adam Smith consultants are advising the government to contract for the immediate installation of at least 1,200 megawatts. They also recommend new plants that provide a combined cycle of natural gas and coal, which could be built faster and require less financing. The Adam Smith Institute recommends that all plants should exceed 300 megawatts.
Power plants in operation are AES Andres (280 megawatts), CEPP (50), DEPP (150), GPLV (129), Haina (397), Itabo (255), Laesa (28), Metaldom (22), Monte Rio (72), Seaboard (92), CESPM (270), San Felipe (170), CDEEE (13) and EGEHID (200).
According to consultant Jose Luis Moreno San Juan, of US$1.1 billion in subsidies contributed by the government in 2008, more than US$700 million were paid to the power generators due to distortions in the energy market, according to an editorial in El Nacional (3 May 2009).
The editorial pointed out that what is surprising is that even with the subsidy, consumers have to pay more than 16 cents of the US dollar per kWh, which is far beyond what consumers in other countries pay. He says in Puerto Rico, consumers pay approximately 6 to 8 US cents.
El Nacional points out that the state and paying consumers have traditionally borne the burden of the inefficient power sector.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)
Jose Luis Moreno San of the UASD state university's Energy Institute says the country is four years behind in installing generation units to keep up with demand. He said that at least 1,600 megawatts should have been installed since 2004, but nothing has been done.
Diez warned that the availability of supply to the national electric grid could be reduced even further if mining company Barrick Gold is successful in negotiating the purchase of power from the generators Estrella del Mar, Estrella del Norte and Monte Rio plants, a total of 276.3 megawatts.
Moreno also forecast an additional deficit of 600 megawatts for 2012, because historically demand has grown by 5% every year. He said the demand in 2008 is 2,056 megawatts and maximum supplied is 1,682 megawatts.
The private sector has asked the government to change its energy team, starting with CDEEE president Radhames Segura. The president of the Herrera Industrial Association, Manuel Cabrera said the government team has failed to find a solution to the energy problem. The president of the Dominican Republic Industries Association (AIRD) Manuel Diez Cabral described the current CDEEE administration as "a complete failure." Segura blames the private sector for not making the investments.
The CDEEE study shows that demand grew by an average rate of 5.91% every year over the last two decades.
The Adam Smith consultants are advising the government to contract for the immediate installation of at least 1,200 megawatts. They also recommend new plants that provide a combined cycle of natural gas and coal, which could be built faster and require less financing. The Adam Smith Institute recommends that all plants should exceed 300 megawatts.
Power plants in operation are AES Andres (280 megawatts), CEPP (50), DEPP (150), GPLV (129), Haina (397), Itabo (255), Laesa (28), Metaldom (22), Monte Rio (72), Seaboard (92), CESPM (270), San Felipe (170), CDEEE (13) and EGEHID (200).
According to consultant Jose Luis Moreno San Juan, of US$1.1 billion in subsidies contributed by the government in 2008, more than US$700 million were paid to the power generators due to distortions in the energy market, according to an editorial in El Nacional (3 May 2009).
The editorial pointed out that what is surprising is that even with the subsidy, consumers have to pay more than 16 cents of the US dollar per kWh, which is far beyond what consumers in other countries pay. He says in Puerto Rico, consumers pay approximately 6 to 8 US cents.
El Nacional points out that the state and paying consumers have traditionally borne the burden of the inefficient power sector.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)