Businessman Rolando González Bunster takes the president at his word and takes a step forward to help incorporate, with the aforementioned investment, new marketing, measurement, and distribution network strengthening technologies, challenges that in total require a total of US$1.4T.6 billion.
SANTO DOMINGO (February 24, 2016).– Businessman Rolando González Bunster, CEO of InterEnergy Holdings, has agreed to participate in a public-private partnership to contribute to solving the Dominican Republic's decades-long electricity crisis, in response to a recent call to that effect by President Danilo Medina.
The president of the corporate group expressed his willingness to invest US$$200 million of the US$$600 million required to incorporate new technologies into the electricity system, currently in the hands of the State, for marketing, smart metering, prepayment, and shielding of distribution networks to reduce technical and non-technical losses to the lowest internationally accepted levels.
González Bunster made the announcement while speaking at the American Chamber of Commerce's (AMCHAMRD) monthly luncheon, the same forum where President Medina called for business cooperation through a public-private partnership to, among other tasks, solve the electricity problem, combat poverty, provide greater opportunities, expand the middle class, and establish a true welfare state.
“We are willing to provide all our expertise and, more than that, we are willing to invest,” proclaimed González Bunster, leader of the Punta Cana Macao Electric Consortium (CEPM), considered a model electric company, with grid losses of just 5,19%, below the United States, Europe and Canada, with an investment of US$283 million, a pioneer in telemetering and prepaid systems, providing continuous energy with negligible interruption times.
In explaining his proposed solution, González Bunster also said that to get the electricity sector back on track, it is essential to fully comply with General Electricity Law 125-01, establish a public-private partnership, and incentivize private investment.
During his speech, González Bunster shared his experience in the Dominican electricity market and expressed his concern, noting that the sector is suffering from the same problems it has been facing for 50 years. The executive, who has 30 years of experience in the energy industry, invited the business community to join this public-private partnership to definitively address the problem and not continue postponing it.
