Dominican power companies eye sweeping changes

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s private power companies (ADIE) on Thursday proposed the merge of the three electricity distributors (EdeEste, EdeSur and EdeNorte) into one agency, to cut costs, and to make their management and investments more efficient.

It also suggests issuing a government bond to pay the Government’s debt with ADIE, and to regularly pay due bills to the sector’s companies.

"By paying the debt with the power companies would improve the sector’s liquidity and encourage private investment in new generation and reduce the energy’s financial costs" ADIE said in a statement with its proposals leading to the talks for an Electricity Pact.

The organization notes that we total distribution losses must be cut to reach international standards ADIE affirms is around 10%. “To achieve this objective poses a focus and prioritizing government investment in programs to reduce losses on the circuits that pay the least.”

ADIE adds that there’s a need to specifically target the subsidy to the electricity rate applying a social value only for consumption of less than 100 kilowatts per month.