NewsWhore
09-14-2006, 04:40 PM
Lawyer Marisol Vicens Bello, who has written extensively about electricity-related issues, expresses disappointment that the governmental solution to the electricity problem once more seems to be the strengthening of the successor of the Dominican Electricity Corporation, CDEEE. She comments that despite recommendations by the Adam Smith consultants for strengthening the Superintendence of Electricity as an independent organization, in the government's proposal made by the Technical Ministry of the Presidency the government proposes the consolidation of the CDEEE's role, that currently is practically the only purchaser of power.
During last weekend's Juan Dolio workshop on power solutions, the CDEEE representatives presented their plans for the expansion of the service with the installation of coal-fired plants, and the need to renegotiate the price of purchasing power under the Madrid Accords.
But, Vicens points out that the Madrid Accords, like the contracts with the private power producers (IPPs) were negotiated and signed by the former CDE, and announced one by one as the solution to the electricity crisis. Much the same way as the CDEEE was responsible for negotiating and drafting the controversial government buyback of EdeSur and EdeNorte power distribution companies, she stresses.
"All these decisions by the former CDE or the new CDEEE were convenient for their directors, but not for the majority, which demonstrates how fragile a proposal can be when it is based on solutions promoted or implemented by the CDEEE and why it is difficult for so many of us to believe them, because its track record of failures are too fresh in our memories," she points out in her commentary in today's El Caribe. "Obviously, today as yesterday, politics is inclining the balance towards this type of measure that offers circumstantial solutions and seeks to generate a positive political impact in the short term," she writes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
During last weekend's Juan Dolio workshop on power solutions, the CDEEE representatives presented their plans for the expansion of the service with the installation of coal-fired plants, and the need to renegotiate the price of purchasing power under the Madrid Accords.
But, Vicens points out that the Madrid Accords, like the contracts with the private power producers (IPPs) were negotiated and signed by the former CDE, and announced one by one as the solution to the electricity crisis. Much the same way as the CDEEE was responsible for negotiating and drafting the controversial government buyback of EdeSur and EdeNorte power distribution companies, she stresses.
"All these decisions by the former CDE or the new CDEEE were convenient for their directors, but not for the majority, which demonstrates how fragile a proposal can be when it is based on solutions promoted or implemented by the CDEEE and why it is difficult for so many of us to believe them, because its track record of failures are too fresh in our memories," she points out in her commentary in today's El Caribe. "Obviously, today as yesterday, politics is inclining the balance towards this type of measure that offers circumstantial solutions and seeks to generate a positive political impact in the short term," she writes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)