What is the real problem about electricity supply in DR?

[Chip00]

Originally Posted by Mirador

you can postulate all you want, but the fact remains that the DR has neither the capital nor the credit for the huge investment that dam building represents, and neither the rain water. As a matter of fact, lack of maintanance (dredging...) has significantly reduced the capacity of most dams...

It appears from aquick search of the DR1 archives that the majority of the power generating plants are controlled by foreign companies - therefore what's all this "postualting" about no capital??????

The Truth about Union Fenosa

www.dr1.com/news/2003/dnews031403.shtml

[cobraboy]

Originally Posted by Chip00

It appears from aquick search of the DR1 archives that the majority of the power generating plants are controlled by foreign companies - therefore what's all this "postualting" about no capital??????

The Truth about Union Fenosa

www.dr1.com/news/2003/dnews031403.shtml

Why would any good businessman invest MORE capital in a country when a huge percentage of it's customers steal from them? There are whole neighborhoods all over the country where virtually every house/apartment is getting "free" electricity. The company sends out crews to disconnect, and it gets reconnected as soon as the company trucks are leaving. I've seen it with my own eyes!

[Hillbilly]

1) Political issues are foremost. Absolutely!! NO government is willing to take the steps necessary to collect for the electricity provided to the poorer areas or to certain "untouchables" for which we can find myriad examples: generals & other top or well entrenched officials of the armed forces; leading politicians; extremely wealthy folks etc...and some industries. Until everyone pays, there is no solution.

2) A culture of corruption which permits stealing electricity, illegal hookups or payoffs....well engrained.

3) A culture of "poverty" that says, "I am poor, therefore, the government owes me water and electricity, cheap transportation and free hospital care."

4) There are about 12 hydro dams located in the DR, and they are in pretty pitiful condition. During the PRD government there were announcements that the government had refitted them. Bullsh!t!!!Bullsh!t!! Pure bullsh!t....I just happen to know the fellow that was negotiating a contract to properly refit the electro-mechanical aspects of the hydro stations and they have yet to begin....too many hands out there looking for money...As a result, the dams are producing much less than 50% of their capacity. As Mirador correctly pointed out, a lack of environmental maintainence has allowed silt to reduce the generating capacity by an importan factor. At first, the area around Tavera and Bao were being supervised by trained agronomists who struggled with the forestry issues....but they were cancelled and the neighboring hills were stripped....EOS.

4) Nuclear? Not on your life! This is totally earthquake sustible island....nobody in their right mind would construct a nuke facility here.....Chernoble(?) would look like a picnic...

SOLUTIONS?: Short term: none

Medium term: a revamp of transmission lines, transformers, illegal hookups and non-paying clients, together with the much talked about refitting of the power generation stations at the current hydro locations. A study of possible future sites.

Long term: An absolutely huge push to reforest the mountains and regain some of the more normal rain cycles.

ITEM: The much ballyhooed coal fired generators have yet to get financing. Worse even, if they were constructing the generators, there are NO TRANSMISSION LINES TO GET THE ENERGY TO CUSTOMERS!! No Sh!t! the CDEE does not have the money to build the needed hig tension lines from the generators in

Azua and Manzanillo to the nation's power grid!!!!!!!!! OMG!! How phucked up can you get???

Outta here before i puke!

HB

[Chip00]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

Why would any good businessman invest MORE capital in a country when a huge percentage of it's customers steal from them? There are whole neighborhoods all over the country where virtually every house/apartment is getting "free" electricity. The company sends out crews to disconnect, and it gets reconnected as soon as the company trucks are leaving. I've seen it with my own eyes!

You got that right -THAT is a major problem. Unfortunately the police won't enforce the power companies rights. On the other hand, when power here costs three times as much as in the US one can ask - who is robbing who?

Finally, many Dominicans see it an an inherent right to not to have to pay for power as typically their parents nor their parent's parents paid for power.

How does one fix a problem as such? - very carefully and slowly so as not to have major public disturbances. They need to enforce it in progressively more areas until the public "awareness" of the fact of the paying for power is inevitable and here to stay.

[Mirador]

[quote=Chip00;478971] ...How does one fix a problem as such? - very carefully and slowly so as not to have major public disturbances....QUOTE]

public disturbance? ha!. Dominicans are too indolent and cowards to make any public disturbance over this matter. How to fix the problem? like any other bad habit! Cold turkey! Where are the generals?!!!*

answer: also on the take!

[Chip00]

Originally Posted by Mirador

public disturbance? ha!. Dominicans are too indolent and cowards to make any public disturbance over this matter. How to fix the problem? like any other bad habit! Cold turkey!

I think "cowards" is a rather strong word. I have no doubt that there would be a major disturbance if all of a sudden they tried to go "cold turkey". Just look at what happens when Leonel anounces that he is going to be raising prices.

Also, I don't know if you have ever lived in campo here in the DR but I have and in my experience is a lot of the people are dirt poor and rely on the power to wash ther clothes and power up the inversores if they have them. Take these two seemingly "insignificat luxeries" away and your going to have a lot of unhappy campers burning tires and throwing rocks.

[Mirador]

Originally Posted by Chip00

I think "cowards" is a rather strong word. ...

Also, I don't know if you have ever lived in campo here ....

But I do live in the campo, on the foothills north of Azua to be specific (currently I'm in Santo Domingo on vacation... ;-). "cowards" is not a strong word, actually they are more like rats, that show their teeth only when cornered.

[gamana]

some countries seize production facilities and distribution network from foreign entities in the name of protecting natioanl interest. It might happen here one day if a solution is not found.....

I don't know where the government would find the money to revamp the system though as dominicans would still not pay for it.

as a step towards improving the situation, maybe the goverment should revisit the law in tax exemption for tourist projects. Foreign entities should get additional years of tax exemption, if they build their facitilites with off grid solar systems. The coastline mega resorts are the Kwatt guzzlers of DR.

[jalencastro]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

1) Political issues are foremost. Absolutely!! NO government is willing to take the steps necessary to collect for the electricity provided to the poorer areas or to certain "untouchables" for which we can find myriad examples: generals & other top or well entrenched officials of the armed forces; leading politicians; extremely wealthy folks etc...and some industries. Until everyone pays, there is no solution.

2) A culture of corruption which permits stealing electricity, illegal hookups or payoffs....well engrained.

3) A culture of "poverty" that says, "I am poor, therefore, the government owes me water and electricity, cheap transportation and free hospital care."

4) There are about 12 hydro dams located in the DR, and they are in pretty pitiful condition. During the PRD government there were announcements that the government had refitted them. Bullsh!t!!!Bullsh!t!! Pure bullsh!t....I just happen to know the fellow that was negotiating a contract to properly refit the electro-mechanical aspects of the hydro stations and they have yet to begin....too many hands out there looking for money...As a result, the dams are producing much less than 50% of their capacity. As Mirador correctly pointed out, a lack of environmental maintainence has allowed silt to reduce the generating capacity by an importan factor. At first, the area around Tavera and Bao were being supervised by trained agronomists who struggled with the forestry issues....but they were cancelled and the neighboring hills were stripped....EOS.

4) Nuclear? Not on your life! This is totally earthquake sustible island....nobody in their right mind would construct a nuke facility here.....Chernoble(?) would look like a picnic...

SOLUTIONS?: Short term: none

Medium term: a revamp of transmission lines, transformers, illegal hookups and non-paying clients, together with the much talked about refitting of the power generation stations at the current hydro locations. A study of possible future sites.

Long term: An absolutely huge push to reforest the mountains and regain some of the more normal rain cycles.

ITEM: The much ballyhooed coal fired generators have yet to get financing. Worse even, if they were constructing the generators, there are NO TRANSMISSION LINES TO GET THE ENERGY TO CUSTOMERS!! No Sh!t! the CDEE does not have the money to build the needed hig tension lines from the generators in

Azua and Manzanillo to the nation's power grid!!!!!!!!! OMG!! How phucked up can you get???

Outta here before i puke!

HB

this is my first time i have written to YOU personally, and i would like to say you know a hell of a lot about DR! thanks for all your posts and insight!
i just got back from my 5th trip there on jan 2nd and loved it! regardless of how the country is run, crime, power outtages and all that makes up the island. but i do agree that the power situation is pitiful and poorly managed. i am amazed to read your post and your knowledge on the situation, i definatly think something needs to be done to make the system more efficient. it's easy to say overhaul all the crappy machinery/plants that supply the country's juice....this needs to be a collective effort between the people, workers, government, investors and technology [wherever it comes from]. i personally stayed in San Cristobal most of the time, in a small campo of Najayo and am used to there being no power but it is VERY annoying. frustrating to go to a colmado and find beer is warm due to the power being out half the damn day! SHEESH!

Jaime

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Rafael Rothschild

Please, please, I don't want to hear about the corrupt government (while I agree it may be part of the problem) I would like, very much, to know the actual and technical problems that make this a unique DR case.

Thank you

Heheheh .. I did not answer earlier today because of this paragraph. So, I won't tell you about the corrupt government, but the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Santo Domingo will tell you the main problem is fraud. http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=21467