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La Altagracia. Currently 98.2% of Dominicans have access to electricity. However, this administration aims to further close that gap, reaching 99.5% electrical coverage in the next five years and positioning the country as a leader in access to electricity in the region.
This was highlighted by the Vice Minister of Energy, Alfonso Rodríguez, in his keynote conference "The sustainable energy future: innovation and development in the Dominican Republic", during the XXX Copimera Congress and the III International Energy Congress 2025, which took place from June 26 to 29, at the Bávaro Convention Center, Punta Cana, La Altagracia province.
"Dominican Republic today holds a position above all its Caribbean and Central American peers, with 98.2% of the entire Dominican population having access to electricity," Rodríguez emphasized.
However, he specified that "we have proposed, in five years, to close that gap and bring light to 99.5% of the population, to become the first Caribbean country with the highest rate of access to electricity."
Rodríguez specified that, currently, 64,144 households, equivalent to 1.72% of the national total, still lack access to the electrical grid, mostly located in rural areas. He indicated that the initiative, which will extend for five years, will require an investment of US$130 million.
He detailed that this capital will be allocated to a comprehensive plan that encompasses multiple lines of action to strengthen the energy system. Key measures include the massive acquisition of meters and transformers, the optimization and expansion of remote metering systems, and the repowering of networks and substations.
The intervention of 26 electrical substations is planned for this year, in addition to intensifying actions against electricity fraud and improving the commercial management of the service.
The activity was organized by the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (Codia), with the support of the Pan-American Confederation of Mechanical, Electrical and Related Engineers (Copimera).
Other actions
Rodríguez outlined the ambitious goals of the Dominican electricity sector, focusing on six key strategic objectives: increasing energy supply, diversifying the matrix, investing in transmission, universalizing the service, promoting energy efficiency, and strengthening institutions. He emphasized the need to regulate frequency, implement storage systems, and streamline renewable energy tenders. In terms of cybersecurity, he acknowledged the growing exposure to risks in an expanding system and announced the launch of the "Zero Bureaucracy" program to streamline procedures and citizen services. Furthermore, the presentation of an energy efficiency bill before the National Congress was recalled, seeking its application in all government dependencies. The activity, dedicated to President Luis Abinader, also served as a platform to recognize the contributions of relevant figures in the sector, including the Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, and the administrator of the Dominican Electric Transmission Company (ETED), Martín Robles Morillo, by the president of Codia, Carlos Mendoza, as well as the president of Copimera, Jorge Nei Brito. The Superintendent of Electricity, Andrés Astacio, also attended the event, along with national and international experts, to discuss regional energy challenges and the future of engineering.
