Spanish
Santo Domingo. - The Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, highlighted the relevance of citizens knowing the contributions of the energy, mining, and hydrocarbon sectors to national development, when leading a tour at the Santo Domingo 2025 International Book Fair (FIL 2025), along with representatives from the main entities in the sector.
During the day, which began at the sectoral stand for energy, mining, and hydrocarbons, Santos described the literary event as an emblematic space of the nation in favor of education, culture, and innovation.
"We wanted to present and propose, through different physical and audiovisual samples, what are some of those resources we have, both from an energy, mining, and hydrocarbon point of view. And that is what people will be able to see here: an exhibition of the minerals that are on display in the country, starting with gold, which is the main product of exploitation in the country," explained Santos.
"You will also be able to see the larimar, which is a unique stone from the Dominican Republic, which is mainly found in Barahona, and we will also be able to see here the red jasper of Hato Mayor, which is a rock that we will see more and more in the coming years," he said.
The minister highlighted that in energy matters, the exhibitions on renewable energies and other projects that are being developed in the country can be seen, such as the rare earths project; hydrological development, among others.
The minister emphasized the installation at the FIL 2025 of the Vanguard Geophysical Mobile Laboratory, of the National Geological Service, a comprehensive scientific research center on wheels, unique in its category in the Dominican Republic, completely autonomous and state-of-the-art.
During the tour at the Fair, the minister also shared impressions and answered some concerns from visitors. In that order, he valued the work carried out by the Ministry of Culture with the event that takes place from September 25 to October 5 in the Plaza de la Cultura.
"It's an excellent job that the Ministry of Culture is doing, with all this staging of the fair. I congratulate the effort of its minister, Roberto Ángel Salcedo, and all his team, for continuing to strengthen what, from my point of view, is a national emblem," he stated.
Santos also spoke about the country's progress in renewable energy, recalling that in 2020 there were only 555 megawatts and that by the end of 2024 the figure rose to 1,300.
He added that the goal for 2027 is to reach 2,800 megawatts, which will help reduce costs and ensure greater stability in the energy supply.
With this initiative, we seek to foster greater interest among young people, researchers, and the general public in the challenges and opportunities facing the nation in the management of its resources.
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The Ministry of Energy and Mines' participation in the FIL 2025 is part of a strategic agenda aimed at strengthening transparency and citizen education regarding the energy, mining, and hydrocarbon sector.
The minister was accompanied by the general administrator of the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (Egehid), Rafael Salazar; the general director of Mining, Rolando Muñoz; the executive director of the National Geological Service, Edwin Rafael García Cocco; the sub-administrator of Egehid, Máximo De Óleo, among other authorities of the sector, who congratulated the Ministry of Energy and Mines for the initiative developed at the FIL 2025 in favor of the citizenry.
