CEPM:

16.79 per kwh in Punta Cana last month and it has been climbing by 1 peso per kwh every month for the last 3 months.

To top it off they aren't allowing any new solar installations.

That's a private company too.

Electric rates in the DR could be a lot more, considering it is an island.  My rates in Central Texas are about $.12/KWH, and the highest place in the States is San Diego at about $.34/KWH.  Mine may not be the cheapest, but the DR rates seem to be in the lower mid-range.  I can't complain!

sberger50 wrote:

Electric rates in the DR could be a lot more, considering it is an island.  My rates in Central Texas are about $.12/KWH, and the highest place in the States is San Diego at about $.34/KWH.  Mine may not be the cheapest, but the DR rates seem to be in the lower mid-range.  I can't complain!

The 16.79 in Punta Cana, or the 14.50 in Las Terrenas is in DOP. So that's .26 to .31 in USD. If San Diego is the high point in the US at .34, I'd say DR is at the upper range.

And remember the average income here is US 300 a month or somewhere close!  Now imagine paying these electrical rates.

This isn't about expats, this is about how can most Dominicans afford this!

Yes, but DR like all the Caribbean islands imports its fuel, mainly gas oil, for power generation so the electricity cost should be higher than mainland USA. Add old generation stations, innefficient providers, many not paying for electricity and government subsidies along with current high oil prices and thank onself lucky that the current tariffs are so low.

It is going to take several more years of dedicated governance to turn this listless ship around, rid the system of corruption and inefficiency and add investment in more efficient generation and distribution. By then hopefully the living wage has risen too because subsidy is not a remedy as years gone of a troubled supply of luz testify.

The DR does have plenty of a certain powerful and highly efficient fuel source. The sun.   

Superintendence orders a new increase in the electricity rate

The SIE justifies the increase in light due to "the current and widespread volatility in the international prices of mineral coal, natural gas, oil and fuels used for electricity generation"

This month until June of this year, users of the country's electricity service will receive in their billings a new increase in the price of the electricity rate that is sent to them each month by the Electricity Distribution Companies (Edes- Edesur, Edenorte and Edeeste), by order of the Superintendency of Electricity (SIE).

The measure, which is contained in the new resolution SIE-021-2022-TF, meets the provisions of the Electric Pact, will impact residential customer rates by 9% . ..........

My March bill shows 21 cents and it was 20.6 per KWH for my Feb bill.  Yup, every month more.  Wish we could have solar panels on our roof here.  I am in Las Canas City which is Cap Cana and its just a few minutes from the Punta Cana airport.  The electricity provider is called Cap Cana Caribe. 

When I was in Bavaro with the provider CEPM, the cost was 14.32 cents per KWH. 

I am going to look into buying some reflective window films.  Anybody know if we can buy that here in Punta Cana area? 

That's double what the EDES will be charging. 

https://listindiario.com/economia/2022/04/01/715354/superintendencia-dispone-nueva-alza-en-la-tarifa-electrica

See link for article headline above. 

@Karin1 

What if you go to where they do the window tinting for cars , I assume it’s the same materials…? I just had my truck done and they had  several different shades to choose from … maybe the guy will come and do it for you …. For a small fee $

Karin1:  I bought a roll of window tint in the US and did my whole house.  Well worth it.  Try Home Depot.  The one I am using you can not see in so it doubles for privacy.  I have a lot of glass in my house so I wanted to have some privacy without having a whole pile of curtains.  Of course it also makes the house cooler and protects the glass.

In .oat of the car places they will also do home windows.  And places that make the windows and patio doors will also offer window tinting.  Usually the car places are cheaper!  At least in Santo Domingo they are.

So we are talking electricity.  Tinting house windows not vehicles.  Doing the house windows can reduce electric consumption if you use air conditioners.

Tinting of car windows locations was mentioned as a place to inquire about doing the house windows.

So yes I will have Lennox's comment moved to its own thread! It deserves a discussion as well.

Electricity in some parts of the country is provided by private companies and  charge what they want or the market tolerates. If you live in those areas that is the risk - pricing. And the trade off is you don't deal with capacity outages! You don't deal with the inefficiency   of the EDE system.

Hearing this makes me so glad we're installing solar panels and batteries! Our initial decision was based on wanting to be a little "greener" and to address the frequent outages, but it's becoming more of an economic win! We will certainly have a shorter payback period than we expected.

We have double-paned windows with a layer of UV tint/protection between them. We also have acid etching on the bathroom windows below shoulder height. This way we get the light but maintain privacy! 

Awesome!  Did you know there is a limit to the amount of solar installations allowed by area?  Yup, it needs approval! I am sure your engineers have that. 

It appears to be counter productive in a country with so many electrical issues!

Awesome!  Did you know there is a limit to the amount of solar installations allowed by area?  Yup, it needs approval! I am sure your engineers have that. 

It appears to be counter productive in a country with so many ... - @planner

Do you know why there are limits? Not that I was planning on a lot of them. I actually don’t know how many are even needed. 

I was reading that there is a proposed modification to the regulations on how much solar energy each house can produce. The idea being that every household needs to buy some electricity from the EDES. 

For sure changes are under discussion see below:

https://ensegundos.do/2022/02/21/el-gobierno-dominicano-pretende-cambiar-el-reglamento-a-quienes-se-benefician-de-la-energia-solar/

 Ignacio García, from the Association for the Promotion of Renewable Energy (Asofer), warned about the modifications that the Superintendence of Electricity plans to make to establish the rules and requirements to be able to install solar panels in homes and companies in to the detriment of those who benefit from this system.

When interviewed for Las Exclusivas de José Peguero, García considered that these modifications are intended to limit the size of customers' solar plants so that they have to contract the rest through the Electricity Distribution Companies (EDE), thus preventing customers from save less than 20 percent on the payment of the electric bill.

Interesting.

They are called the "Association for the Promotion of Renewable Energy" yet they want to "limit" the amount any one household can produce...what a joke.  As if they have any way to control or enforce that but anyways, why would they want to do that?  If you produce an abundance of electricity, the local company doesn't buy it off of you for the same price you are paying.  I pay 16.79 pesos per kwh from the local co. and they credit me 3.3 pesos per kwh if I produce more than I consume.  I am trying to find ways to consume more energy because the credit they produce is a waste of my time...  I'm thinking of just occasionally shutting my system down just to avoid the overage...I know makes no sense...you don't have to tell me...

Also, its not as if the entire island is going to run out and spend 1000's of dollars on solar systems tomorrow...really, nothing better to think about?  limiting...leave those laws and ideas for the commercial and Industrial customers and leave residential customers alone!

just another Dominicanism...

Asofer is expressing concern at what EDE is proposing. 

DRCulture.  

If you have the right contractor, they should take care of everything.  Permits, size, ratings...everything.  In my area the local electrical company inspects the installation and must approve it before they connect the electricity to your home.  Any modifications afterwards are open for "discussion".

Your supplier is private and not an EDE so would be outside these potential changes.

It does not surprise me that national distribution companies want to control solar installations and often demand that the home be connected to their grid and supply solar back at a reduced rate. This is the case throughout the islands. Their dilemma is that they have a responsibility to provide electricity and maintain supplies to all customers who can't afford the likes of solar. The EDES have been subsidized heavily and have become very inefficient and that is going to end in the coming years as subsidies are removed and so they will be looking to maximize earnings from each and every customer and perhaps even those who have invested in their own solar perhaps.

@planner Really - this is news. Send source.

Typically there are two cost to power, the first being generation and the second being distribution. That’s the way the bills are presented in my part of the United States.

- @rfmaurone