NewsWhore
09-18-2009, 02:20 PM
The executive vice-president of the State-owned Electricity Companies (CDEEE), Celso Marranzini, has announced a series of scheduled blackouts. He said by programming them, the blackouts would be fairer and more evenly distributed nationwide.
He said blackouts will continue because there is just not enough money to pay the generators, which are thus supplying 80% of demand. Marranzini acknowledged that some sectors are suffering 18 and 20-hour blackouts. He said the high level of debts at the CDEEE could take at least five years to be cleared.
The official asked National Police chief Guillermo Rafael Guzman Fermin, to "prevent rambunctious people from causing problems with strikes, picketing, or marches in the barrios when we announce blackouts in specific places." He said that the blackouts would be announced in newspapers ads.
Marranzini also said that the CDEEE needed US$350 million to finish the year without having to increase the electricity rates, including US$60 million for the monthly subsidy on electricity bills. He said that there is close to a billion dollars (US$1,000,000,000) in debts, and these cannot be paid in a month or in a year, and for this he asked for patience, since an IMF agreement or a bond emission would help solve the problem. Finally, he called for a 10-year strategy, which he said did not exist.
The Dominican Association of the Electricity Industry says the country needs to invest US$3.5 billion to meet demand for power into the next decade. Marco de la Rosa, president of the organization, has expressed his support for the new authorities at the CDEEE.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
He said blackouts will continue because there is just not enough money to pay the generators, which are thus supplying 80% of demand. Marranzini acknowledged that some sectors are suffering 18 and 20-hour blackouts. He said the high level of debts at the CDEEE could take at least five years to be cleared.
The official asked National Police chief Guillermo Rafael Guzman Fermin, to "prevent rambunctious people from causing problems with strikes, picketing, or marches in the barrios when we announce blackouts in specific places." He said that the blackouts would be announced in newspapers ads.
Marranzini also said that the CDEEE needed US$350 million to finish the year without having to increase the electricity rates, including US$60 million for the monthly subsidy on electricity bills. He said that there is close to a billion dollars (US$1,000,000,000) in debts, and these cannot be paid in a month or in a year, and for this he asked for patience, since an IMF agreement or a bond emission would help solve the problem. Finally, he called for a 10-year strategy, which he said did not exist.
The Dominican Association of the Electricity Industry says the country needs to invest US$3.5 billion to meet demand for power into the next decade. Marco de la Rosa, president of the organization, has expressed his support for the new authorities at the CDEEE.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)