Senate OKs US$656.0M power plant loan as Brazil scandal explodes

Santo Domingo.- The Senate on Wednesday approved a US$656.0 million loan for the coal-fired power plant at Punta Catalina, amid the explosive scandal of the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.

Brazil’s State-owned BNDES bank will lend the money to the Dominican government for the facility now under construction by the State-owned electric utility (CDEEE).

Senate finance Committee chair Dionis Sanchez had asked to debate the legislation for the loan during the Thursday’s session, but Duarte province senator Amílcar Romero called it urgent enough to be place in yesterday’s agenda.