SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican State-owned Power Companies (CDEEE) executive vice-president Radhamés Segura yesterday said as of April 20 the Government owes US$174 million to the private power suppliers.
Meanwhile blackouts as long as 15 hours continue across the country, with a 925 megawatt deficit as of 4:30 p.m. yesterday, when the National Interconnected Electric System (SENI) registered a demand of 2,033 MW, against a supply of 1,081 megawatts.
Segura said that on April, 20, 2008 the power companies were owed US$30.83 million.
The official admitted that the lag in the electrical generation stems from the fact that the coal-fired plants announced in 2006 have yet to materialize, and if they don’t begin construction this year it would be difficult for them to operate in 2012.
He said the multilateral organisms agree that the sector is in process of frank recovery. “They recognize the advance of the distributors, in power lines, hydro, the UERS, the focalization and have offered their help and collaboration and proposed measures to definitively break the curse or vicious circle the Dominican Republic has suffered by 50 years.”
Segura said a high level commission will go to Washington next week to discuss measures that entail financial assistance to finally solve the energy problem in the country.

The Dom. Republic has one of the highest Energy Prices in the World.
The Government has to start rounding up all the electricity thieves in the Country.
Nobody has the right to free Electricity !
There are entire Streets in the Capital who are not paying one cent, not mentioning hundreds
of villages all around the Country.
Every Party is afraid of picking up on this thieves because they decide who will be the next President. Almost 50 % of the generated Energy in this Country are stolen or not billed for.
Is the electrical deficit due to demand (2,000 Mega) higher than generaiton or money owed to the generation plants limits production? I don't understand the explanation from this supervisor!
Is this supervisor treathening the Dominican society by saying IF YOU DON'T PAY MORE BLACKOUTS?