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SANTO DOMINGO.- A nationwide blackout kept the country in the dark from 6:03  p.m. Wednesday when, according to the Electricity Superintendent, the power plant AES Andres and later San Felipe, in Puerto Plata, went off line.

In some sectors of the capital service was restored shortly after midnight.

AES Dominicana said a failure in the power line left its AES Andres plant isolated from the system, which superintendent Francisco Méndez said had around 1,560 megawatts on line during the blackout, while the demand was around 1,700.

He said the exact causes that led to the electrical failure are being investigated.

The most recent general blackout took place on July 16, which lasted 17 minutes.

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COMMENTS
21 comment(s)
Written by: FredCDobbs This user is banned, 3 Sep 2009 7:26 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Parque Colon statue of Anacaona
Sounds like a sympathy strike for the three hundred cousins of Radames Segura who got canned .........We will have to live without power for a month if they fire all the dead weight
Written by: juanb, 3 Sep 2009 7:33 AM
From: Dominican Republic
A parting gift (hopefully the last) from R.segura. Hope he goes to jail and later to hell.
Written by: BASTA, 3 Sep 2009 8:01 AM
From: Dominican Republic, = Ghetto-SPM-Barrio Blanco
juanb= for sure he will come back as a Minister of Nothing
Written by: gmiller261, 3 Sep 2009 9:31 AM
From: United States

Absolutely, the 300 thieves finally did something but it is probably in line with terrorism.

Now pass laws, if there aren't any, to put these people in jail. And put these terrorists in jail.
Written by: VeronicaDR, 3 Sep 2009 9:38 AM
From: United States
If anyone was involved with this they should be charged as criminals to the country. It does sound a little fishy with the timing of the firings too. It is time for us to get a stable electrical system for our country like the rest of the world has. Instead of giving electricity for free subsisdize up to some amount so people become aware of how much they use.
Written by: oupala07, 3 Sep 2009 10:23 AM
From: Canada
When you have economic problem, the first to suffer is your power grid and your supply of gas.
Written by: xwill7, 3 Sep 2009 10:33 AM
From: United States, Chicago
This had to be planned. All systems can't go down at the same time
Written by: danny00, 3 Sep 2009 10:37 AM
From: United States
if it was planned or not the country goes on with out elec.
i have lived in other countries some 3rd world..... but never had seen any thing like in the dr. with the elec.
people on the island spend 1/2 their lives in the dark if not more.
Written by: MannyTav, 3 Sep 2009 11:03 AM
From: United States
The sad thing is that this is the same situation that existed thrity years ago.....incredible how a so-called developing nation can have these may problems with basic electricity services and the citizenry accepts it as part of living in DR. Is it any wonder if given a chance most would leave with their families?
Written by: vacanos, 3 Sep 2009 11:27 AM
From: United States
wouldnt be surprise if the people doing this are the same who got canned the other day thru connection. I saw in the news the 300 canned were meeting some big honcho yesterday in the govt to get their BOTELLA back.
Written by: hellborn25, 3 Sep 2009 11:40 AM
From: United States
just another normal day in the life that is the dominican republic. the pitch black country of the world.
Written by: oupala07, 3 Sep 2009 1:05 PM
From: Canada
Who owns the electricity in the Dominican republic, is it a service supplied by the government or one supplied by privates companies. If it is supplied by the government then, this one is running out of money to buy fuel. If it is supplied by private company, then, they are not making enough money to maintain and develop the power grid.
Written by: CaptRob, 3 Sep 2009 1:26 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
There is no lack of money in this country. The problem lies in corruption. Look it is very simple. They can waste 10's of millions of dollars putting in a new transit system that only affects 1 % of the population of the Capital. So they can siphon off their 20 % profits in payoffs. Or they could have spent this money years ago and fixed the water and electric grids. Which affects the total population of the country. These rich people don't care. " LET THEM EAT CAKE ". These problems have been going on for decades it is now almost 2010. Same crap different day. The E.U., U.S. gives them money all the time it disappears. I just think they are G.M. to big to fail. Heck one nuclear reactor would supply the whole country. But then would you trust a Dominican engineer to run it ?
Written by: curlando, 3 Sep 2009 2:27 PM
From: United States
No wonder so many people want to leave DR. Too many problems in DR.
Even the president does not want to stay in DR. He is always traveling.
Written by: mrios, 3 Sep 2009 3:41 PM
From: United States
CaptRob,
So true.

Curlando,
True..

SOMEONE IS FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES.....President returns and power is restored Huh !
"The mice will play while the Cats away".

"It' better to light a candle, then curse the Darkness"
ALL Dominicans should use this incident as a motive to push towards self sufficiency, and a slave to no one.

I heard of some one using a car generator, hooking a large fan, using [2] 6 volt rechargeable batteries with a 400 watt inverter, using low wattage bulbs etc..etc.. and becoming almost self power reliant. I'll look into this.
I will talk with a friend who is an electrician to see if a project like this is even feasible and cost effect. wish me luck.....
Written by: mrios, 3 Sep 2009 3:47 PM
From: United States
OPP's almost forgot......Did the Prez. get a heroes welcome for the Libya field trip thing ?
Written by: CaptRob, 3 Sep 2009 4:17 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
I have a friend who owns hotel in Bani. He has a wind generator. Yes, I know they are expensive and, so are the batt. Also has the Solar panels and, yes a back up generator. But after all it is a hotel. However, With the wind generator, and solar panels alone he generates enough power to keep his system charged all day. Point I am trying to make is how much power do you really need ? a fan, light, Refrig, the rest are luxury items. Can live without a T.V. and microwave. I have a 1.5 kw inversor and a 1 kw generator. I have mine hooked up to power everything except the microwave and freezer and refrig. If need be I can just run an extension cord. Everything will stay cold for at least 24 hours.
Written by: mrios, 3 Sep 2009 7:05 PM
From: United States
CaptRob,
Good point...I have a friend who has an RV refrigerator in his garage to store extra refrigerated [cost approx. $700.00 ] items, his works just fine off propane. most inverters from a 12 v. system is enough to power a 12 inch T.V, low wattage ceiling fans and Greenlite Fluorescent bulbs [ 23W equals 100W ] solar water heater, dump the central air for a swamp cooler. The idea is to go green, sky lites and solar water heaters, you may give up some creature comforts but being self sufficient is the name of the game with rewards and remember from creative minds come creative ideas, think low wattage items.
THE KEY IS CHARGING THAT 12v. Battery and keeping it charged.
Take care.
Written by: glomarexplorer, 3 Sep 2009 9:52 PM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Think of it as an opportunity to admire and marvel at the magnificent sky over DR.

Perhaps we could use blackouts to promote tourism, albeit in rather perverse way.

Maybe darkened skies would allow us to see celestial features that would otherwise go unnoticed. Perhaps we would be first to pinpoint some comet or similar.

Etc.
Written by: ambioriv, 3 Sep 2009 11:38 PM
From: United States
every problem is an opportunity for someone else to make money, we need some entrepreneurs to develop some technolog compinies for the homes. Solar wind or something.
Written by: mrios, 4 Sep 2009 12:44 PM
From: United States
Glomarexplorer,
Being a bit of an Astronomy freak myself..... I bet the Astronomy Clubs in the DR are going nuts.
Example: In 1970 while on Vacation with my Mother in the DR I had the pleasure of seeing a real Moon Rock on display talk about excitement. I could see it now, "Come to the DR, Marvel the Heavens" sell Telescopes, Celestial Charts etc.. etc..

Heck we can even fake UFO landing and sightings. Create Folklore legends of UFO experiments on our Gov. "DR the UFO Capital of the World"....."Necessity is the Mother of Invention".

I think I have an out of this World IDEA !

Ambioriv,
The project I was talking about came from used Auto, salvage & surplus Parts...It may cost a bit but will pay for it's self in the long run, just think of it as an investment on your future.
We have the Technology, I've heard of a solar panel 2x3 ft. developed by NASA that can power the whole Space Shuttle's needs while in Space, in a hour.
We just lack will, not hurting enough.
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