Dominican Republic: power outages in Tenares give no respite

Tenares, Hermanas Mirabal, DR.- The intermittent blackouts keep the residents of this municipality in anxiety. They complain that despite the fact that the city is in the privileged sector 24 hours a day, the blackouts have increased in recent months.

According to different people, there have been blackouts ranging from 15 minutes to 3 and 4 hours at a time, hindering the free movement of the various commercial sectors here.

When questioned by this editor, Ana Cristina Hidalgo, a resident of Aníbal García Street, said that from Monday to Sunday, there are blackouts throughout the municipality, including the mountainous area. According to her, things are worse in the communities that go from Curva Dura, Los Cayos, La Jíbara, La Vereda, and El Caserío until reaching Blanquito and the so-called cuesta de Las Flores; the blackouts are relentless.

“The blackouts in Tenares have become unbearable. Here, there are suspensions that go from 15 minutes to three and four hours at a time, without the population being given explanations as to why, which has been making us uneasy, but above all, it has been filling us with discomfort,” said the aforementioned lady.

In this sense, Hidalgo was categorical when she affirmed that another of the inconveniences that they suffer is that the bills for the mentioned service are getting more and more expensive, which she said hurts the weak economy of the people of Tenar, claiming that for example in her house, the bill arrives every month more expensive than it did approximately two years ago.

Another of those consulted by this media, was the merchant of the community of Los Pomos, Mr. Rogelio García, who said that another of the inconveniences, besides the constant suspensions that occur, is the instability in the voltage.

He pointed out that in Tenares, due to its voltage instability, the energy has been burning dozens of electrical appliances, such as televisions, washing machines, radios, and other household appliances.

He recalled that more than two months ago, one of the supermarkets in Tenares caught fire as a consequence of “the electricity surcharges, ” causing losses of hundreds of thousands of pesos.

He also pointed out that after the famous 48-hour blackout that occurred in the whole province of Hermanas Mirabal in mid-August, the bills have increased in a dizzying way, reducing the earning capacity of the medium and small traders of the area.

The complainants called on the director of Edenorte, Engineer Andres Cueto, to come to this municipality and study the monthly losses that the residents of this area are experiencing.