President Luis Abinader. Photo LD.
President Luis Abinader stated that the problem of blackouts “has been unresolved for years” and that for the “first time,” a government has a plan to solve the “deficit” of electricity.
“The blackouts have made everyone tired and for many years this is one of the problems that has been unsolved for years, decades… so we do have a plan to solve it,” said the president.
When questioned by the media about the recent wave of blackouts that have affected a large part of the population and generated protests in various sectors, Abinader explained that one of the solutions is the award of a power plant with some 800 megawatts of gas in Manzanillo, which will also have its own fuel depot and will be “cheaper” than Punta Catalina.
“Since we arrived we realized that there were no reserves, that is to say that the demand for energy was practically equal to the generation capacity. In these two years we have added about 440 megawatts, 300 renewable and 140 that begin tomorrow (Friday)… from that awarded plant of 800 megawatts, the Government is not going to have to put a penny,” added the head of state.
The president indicated that the Government had tendered 2,000 megawatts to be added to the national electrical system in the coming months, which will help to have reserve energy.
“What I do tell you is that no government had ever before made plans to add the number of megawatts. In other words, we are adding approximately 70% of the generation capacity, because we did plan… we have done the right thing so that the Dominican Republic has a true electrical system,” added Abinader.
It coincided with the declarations of the Minister of Energy and Mines in which the service would be regularizing as of next week.