César Fernández on Dominican-Puerto Rico submarine cable: “we do not have enough energy to sell”

Santo Domingo—In view of President Luis Abinader’s announcement to connect the Dominican Republic with Puerto Rico to sell them electric energy through a submarine cable, Cesar Fernandez, a member of the Political Directorate of the People’s Force and national secretary of propaganda, condemned the proposal for not having the necessary conditions.

After detailing the amount of energy produced in the country and what the current administration promised for the 2020-2024 mandate, Fernandez pointed out that the Dominican State does not have energy to sell.

“It is a mockery on the part of the President of the Republic to say in an Olympian manner that we are so good in energy matters that we are going to sell energy to Puerto Rico , it is evident that we have no energy left over in the country to sell, we only have to analyze the cost of the cable that the president referred to, the first thing is that they do not have that defined because many variables are involved,” expressed Fernandez.

He went on to say that “it seems that what is being pursued is that the private sector installs the cable, and assembles plants that do not comply with environmental standards in Puerto Rico, but here in the country they do, then someone makes a deal and sells to Puerto Rico and it is said that we are selling, the only possible way for this to be done is in this way,” said the PF leader.

Unfulfilled promises by the government

Fernández indicated that the government of President Abinader promised in the last four years the installation of 2,000 Megawatts, that is to say, to generate from 5,000 to 7,000, almost 8,000, because the demand increases by 5% annually, that was the promise, but, he only installed 190 in Boca Chica and 178 in the barges of Azua, the two most polluting plants, and on top of that old plants, and the worst thing is that the cost of a megawatt in Punta Catalina costs 12 cents, in these they cost 25, that is to say, double.

These statements were made on the program “Despierta RD,” which was hosted by experienced journalists Gilbert Guzmán, Cristian Cabrera, and Paola Herrera.