Electricity Shortfalls and Cuts.

I am  being effected daily.  My house is in Santo Domingo East and my office / wharehouse is in the heart of the city. Both are  24 hour circuits.

Yesterday my house was out  9.5 hours!  My office is down  3 times a week now. AND I am close to the biggest public hospital in the country!  How can they operate without electricity.

I am appalled at how all this is run. I am disgusted by the lack of concern by the electrical distributors!

And of  course no one will remember this come time to vote. And really,  none of the parties are any better.

I'm too on what has been a reliable 24/7 circuit in DN and everyday this week we have had a cut from 3 to 6 hours starting early afternoon. But today it went off at 11am so I am anticipating for the worst.

It is incredible that this was an election issue at least 10 years ago and Punta Catalina was promised to end all of this.

This government which has had absolute power from 2004 just hasn't delivered for the people on basic services and seems clueless to resolve along with the state run entities who distribute.

Those that live in Punta Cana and Bayahibe are lucky they have a private supplier, and whilst the tariff is higher they should be grateful. Just ask the folks in Las Terrenas who lost a private supplier for Edenorte.

I  lived on the north coast and used the private supplier for Playa Dorada.  Seriously 24 hour electricity has HUGE value!!!!

I do remember my Time In San Pedro de Macorix  or Puerto Plata or Worst Santo Domingo I did need always n Inverter or a  Power plant . In the beginning in Santiago it has been the same but since 2011 I live in an Area where we have close to 24 Hour Service . I say close because sometimes the Power gets off for some Minutes and comes back . Very strange if Power goes off for longer than an Hour but it happens when Edenorte has to do some maintenance work but they announce it in their Report so you can get prepared . Just an other big Point for living in Santiago de los Caballeros . The Dominicans do suffer blackouts since so long it is Part of their Daily life so nothing to be upset because they in most cases can manage the Situation and do not feel lost . Hospitals always have big Power Plants also in the DR. No a suggestion would be to buy Solar Panels , I have Friends living at the Country Site and are independent from Electric Companies they have solar energy .

Dominicans do not accept long power outages, the number of huelgas and incidents rises with the blackouts!

Case in point, todays news:

https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/201 … -santiago/

Santiago
The crisis in the supply of drinking water and electricity is generating protests in different communities and neighborhoods of Santiago and other provinces in the area.

In neighborhoods such as Pekín, La Otra Banda, ensanche Espaillat, Los Salados, Ciruelitos and others in Santiago, there have been burning tires in the last 36 hours due to lack of these basic services.

Meanwhile, the communities of Jagua, Los Picos, Doña Agueda, Mora, Ciruelos, Don Juan, Castillo, Estancia, López, Los Melaos, El Cinco, El Tres and others of the municipality of Baitoa, south of Santiago, have had  their activities paralyzed days ago, claiming water supply, cessation of blackouts and construction of a multiple aqueducts.

Likewise, protests were registered in localities of Moca and Licey, where the water crisis has reached critical levels.

The liquid deficit is recorded despite the fact that last weekend there were rains that caused urban flooding in Santiago and other localities in the area.

In this regard, the director of the Aqueduct and Sewer Corporation of Santiago (Coraasan), Silvio Durán, said that rainfall often occurs, but not in the upper basin and therefore, the reservoirs do not receive it.

In relation to the blackouts, the Northern Energy Distribution Company (Edenorte), attributes them to the output of several generating plants.

These huelgas are becoming much more common and the press isn't reporting the true scale (politically motivated?).

I got caught up in one the other weekend on the Yamasa road just north of Villa Mella just beyond where the ring road joins. It was painfully slow to get through with burnt tyres and smashed bottles blocking most of the road with PN watching on.

There is without doubt growing resentment. We got another 3 hours last night without power.

Oh Yes, There are Varios with lots of Problems and the biggest one they did not even mention is Cien fuegos because it is not a single vario it will become municipality . All this varios mentioned  as Pekín, La Otra Banda, ensanche Espaillat, Los Salados, Ciruelitos  in Santiago, there have been burning tires in the last 36 hours due to lack of these basic services. And this are like Slums this are where the poor people live You as expat would never live there because it is too loud and the houses not even Close to the Standard you require . In many of this Places Houses are simply connected to the Electric Lines and do not have a meter and many do not Pay the energy they use and same with Water . Same in Santo Domingo where you have big Areas where it is still normal that the People get their energy from some illegal lines , Same with Water . There are Areas in Santiago there do not exist Water Problems or Energy Problems because they have Their own Water Tank and  are connected to 2 or 3 Electric Stations . So if one of this Station fail they only switch to the other . This is why we have sometimes short energy Cuts . The Towns close to the water storage have less Water in most cases because the Water from the Water Storage goes in big Pipes to the big Cities in Santo Domingo they have Problems with this Pipe system Same in Puerto Plata but in Puerto Plata it is many times that blackouts did happen on Purpose not because of a lack of electric Power .That is where you can see what Corruption does. Some People have big Problems with their Bills all over the Country exactly Electric and Water but if you go in this Areas you see Water running on the street the entire Day water hose are left open Bulbs are on 24 hours without a need same for other electric Supply and the fridges are in such bad Condition that they consume a Fortune and the Electric Station comes to its Power limit and need to shut down . It does happen in Santiago . BUT not in the City center not in the Areas where the middle and upper class live ( mainly) It is not that simple how it looks if you read this Articles in the Newspapers . And this is why for Politics it is so easy to get Votes . Go to this Places next year from January or Feb beginning you will see a lot more energy and a lot more Water .

You just contradicted yourself!

This past July and had to stifle a laugh (and wasn't really successful) when everyone in Cabrera was talking about the town getting 24/7 power at the end of August. I know they knew it wasn't really all that likely, but everyone seemed to talk about it  as if it could happen. (like our road getting paved...it's been started and stopped for years now...every other road...literally every other road has been paved...so it did seem likely...yet...alas...no.)  And, it's now September and guess what? Even longer power outages than before. This has been on-going for the year it seems.  Solar systems are the way to go but aren't cheap. And a lightning storm blew out two of our friends/neighbors' entire systems, one had a whole solar plus battery back up and the other just batter back up.  Lightning blew inverters, charge controller, fried batteries and panels. ACK! They are paying a lot to get their solar and back up battery systems repaired...and dealing with blackouts in the meantime. Even when there's power it is at such a low voltage that many things don't work.  As one friend put it "The price we pay to live in paradise!"

We've been having issues with intermittent electricity outages here in Metro Detroit for a few years. Aging infrastructure and no investment by private companies to bury the lines mean whenever there's a big storm we look like backwater idiots compared to our sister city Windsor on the Canadian side of the Detroit River.  Same storms, totally different outcomes!

https://twitter.com/EdesurRD/status/1177962667492950017

More of the same...cuts.

Apparently the current issues include systems out of service for repairs and maintenance and all made worse by lack of fuel.  Cargo ships were delayed due to storms - supposedly!

The current shortfall is nearly 200MW more than Punta Catalina will provide at full capacity and that plant it is already half producing it's total. Yep the other plants are old and need replacing too, but where is a long term plan for this! Or perhaps more green energy solutions which work well for the region and is already producing 100% of supply in Costa Rica and near that in other regional countries.

It is sheer incompetence in government that is creating this crisis. Where are the promises given back in 2012 about resolving the power issues?

Expect more huelgas tonight in the barrios and in the campo! Plenty of signs of burnt tyres blocking roads on my recent visits outside the city.

it is pathetic to note that in 2019 people are still enraged to the point of civil unrest because these comedians cannot resolve a fundamental matter such as electricity.

Remember it's not only incompetence it's also corruption!

Cost of punta Catalina is ridiculous and still it's not fully functional.

There are many options that will fix this, sadly there is no will!

i agree with you. there is something woefully distressing about the effects of plain old corruption on the daily lives of people in this country. it is as if there is absolutely no moral will in this country

Don't you ever wonder why service sucks in almost every establishment in this country and why they go in and out of business before you even realize the business is there.  It's because they don't care about the business!  It's not built or opened for the reasons you think.  so why...money laundering in 80% of the businesses in this country as identified by the US!

The country is broken and it will never operate like a real country.  It's all a pipe dream.  I have seen it over and over again.  Live with it, love it or hate it...

That is a whole other perspective. 

with govt style services and large companies its because of all those who get paychecks but dont actually work. Those who do the work are low paid and resentful, with good reason

There is never a power outage in Casa de Campo unless they are doing maintenance. They have their own power station and water works. What occurs in La Romana almost daily, does not happen in CDC

That is the same for all areas with private electricity and it's reflected in the amount you pay!

But it is fair to advise all prospective expats who plan to come live here that it is best they chose a location with back up generation or private supply.

Punta Cana wins in this respect as does Bayahibe and it used to be very good in Las Terrenas and Las Galeras with private area generation until EdeNorte stepped in. Or you should choose to live in a community like CdC or say Casa Linda on the North Coast with their own community back up feed.

Outside such places, unless you have your own solar supply or back up generation, I would hold out little confidence of a decent supply in the near to medium future through EdeNorte, Edesur or EdeEste due to incompetence in the supply chain of electricity in DR. Their promises and planning are highly suspect.

Our so called 24/7 circuit in Santo Domingo has just gone off again and I guess another 5 hour cut on a weekend day, like yesterday, is in prospect. I do have an inverter so it could be worse.

Yes, but be careful and aware that these private electric companies also make their own rules too.  Taking them to court and being right is just a waste of time and money.  If they want to cut you off for any corrupt reason they will and you will have a property that you cannot get electricity for and it doesn't make any difference whether you pay or not.  Punta Cana Village and CEPM are perfect examples.

Breaking news.....the power cuts countrywide could be getting worse over the next few days because Punta Catalina will be out of action pending some adjustments!

https://www.diariolibre.com/economia/pu … FC14433464

https://twitter.com/EdesurRD/status/1178363482124759040

One hour ago still 752 MW deficit and about to lose 350MW from Punta Catalina!!!!

Incredibly inept!   And yet they will continue to draw their high salaries at the top levels.

October 31st update for Cabrera...while there is no 24/7 power still...apparently Danilo himself was in Cabrera and ordered our road to be paved!!!???  And work started...but, until I see blacktop all the way up to my house...I withhold judgement. Thank God for Election Promises!? Hahaha.

That is the only time things get done quickly but not necessarily very well.

hi
so las terrenas dont have a private suplyer for power ?

Here is some really good news on the electricoty supply front for Edesur customers in National District:

https://listindiario.com/economia/2019/ … a-24-horas

You can google translate but having everybody on 24/7 circuits is all but a done thing in DN.

Ive been watching new concrete poles and lines being installed all through Santo Domingo and the surrounding provinces over the past year or so at a busy rate and it looks like DR is getting to grips with its transmission issues. They had a soft loan of 600m usd back in 2018 from China to deal with the problematic transmission network and it appears it is delivering dividends.

I wish too that they had selected the Chinese lowest bid contractor for Punta Catalina and the country would have saved 2 billion usd and had reliable power online earlier instead of dirty coal and the severe cuts of earlier this year. But corrupt Odebrecht won the day.