There are two power projects announced by CDEEE's VP Segura - one is the floating power plants I mentioned, and one is expanding existing power plant in Cibao (I think in Santiago) so that its output is increased by 10%, totaling about 210 MW. Maybe this is the one you are talking about.
But in the DR, all and every power plant counts on subsidies because:
1) The plants generate electricity at too high cost, which the public could not bear on its own - Acuerdo de Madrid has generation prices of up to US$0.26 per kWh - that is 10 pesos per kWh - consider kWh start at 3 pesos and top at 8 pesos per kWh. = subsidies necessary.
2) The plants that generate electricity at lower cost (E.g. AES Andres) don't get paid all the money by the distributors, because they can't recoup all the money from subscribers - too much electricity being stolen. The Index of Cash Receipts (Indice de Recuperacion de Efectivo) is about 60% national average - that means 40% of all electricity delivered gets stolen and/or invoices not paid. = subsidies necessary.
Btw all power plants in the DR generate very hefty profits, even with government being late in paying they still have lots of $$$ on their books.
As one DR journalist wrote, "unless the power cuts stop being lucrative the energy problem will never end...."
how's that?
High cost of generation + Unpaid bills + stolen electricity = Excessively high "cost" of generation = Hefty profits for power generators (and other people behind the scenes)
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