Solar energy

Interesting and very logical post!

My biggest comment is logic rarely comes into play.  My guess is that the resistance is directly related to the amount of corruption involved in the current state of affairs.

@DominicanadaMike

Wow, wow,  wow

I have a story about them ripping me off too but this tops it.

This is another example of total corruption and why I will never own property here.   

Sorry to hear this Mike but thanks for sharing.  I hope this ridiculousness can be solved somehow in a reasonable manner.

@planner

sorry but I dont see why a citizen is treated differently, in this case, for electricity.

@ExpatRusher

Very good observations Jim.

This is very distressing.

@DominicanadaMike

If you dont want to become citizen in DR,  thats your choice but needing to in order to be treated fairly by the electric company, I hope that is not the case but still easy to solve if it is the case. 

I didn't say we are treated differently by private companies. Not at all. Our right to protest against the govt however only comes with citizenship!  Report, complain etc. Be careful what you say in public and how you behave.

For example it is illegal to protest. It is illegal to take part in political rallies.  I am not saying you will be arrested or anything. I am saying there can be consequences!  Just be aware.

We are guests here until we have citizenship! That's the law.

Wow a bunch to take in.  Is this surcharge for solar users that supplement their power from all power supply companies across the entire Dominican Republic, or just certain areas ? Is this applicable to power supplies from electric suppliers in Las Terrenas ?

If totally off grid is the path needed to go, what amount of battery back up would be required for a 10 kw system ? Tesla Powerwalls hold 13kw. With a Villa that has air conditioning throughout the Villa, pool pumps, pool heaters, refrigerator, washer and dryer how many Tesla Powerwall 2's are required, 1, 2 or perhaps 3 of them ?

The solar powered equipment that is available in the Dominican Republic, is it quality long lasting equipment ?

Would it be recommended to bring your own panels, batteries and inverters when bringing in your container of goods through your one time residency application ?

Thanks for your help

This only applies to this private supplier in punta cana. Does NOT apply to the EDE distributors

Great news !!! Thanks Planner

@planner: Are you sure about that because CEPM told me it was a Government enforced change...I would love to get the document that made the change.  Hopefully we will make progress next week.  Conveniently the people we need to talk to are "not available"...

My guess is CEPM is lying to you but let me  check here with  EDESUR.  I have a  business that is  solar here.

and now this as reported in Dominican Today:

Solar panel installation plan announced in the country

The Government will contribute US$350 million, and the cooperatives US$380 million to finance the installation of 600 MW of clean energy.

The so-called RD 100% Renewable Coalition, made up of cooperatives, companies, and entities linked to the environment, announced yesterday a plan for installing solar panels in 180,000 homes and small businesses throughout the country to generate 600 megawatts of electricity in three years.

The plan, prepared in coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Mines, foresees the installation of 600 megawatts of solar energy, producing 900 million kilowatts/hour of clean electricity annually.

The plan's financing would be mixed: US$350 million would be provided by the Government from the electricity subsidy, and US$380 million would come from the cooperatives, for a total of US$730 million.

Among the cooperatives that are part of RD 100% Renovable are those of Maimón, Vega Real, and Nacional de Servicios Múltiples de los Maestros (COOPNAMA), as well as the companies Rensa, Trix Energy, and Más Consulting SRL.

The plan seeks to reduce electricity losses in both transmission and distribution.

The Instituto Nacional de Formación Técnico Profesional (Infotep) will train personnel to install solar panels.

The RD 100% Renewable coalition thanked the Ministry of Energy and Mines for having agreed to work on elaborating the plan that will contribute to the energy transition in the country.

It proposed to the Ministry of Energy and Mines the establishment of 1,100 megawatts of renewable potential in wind and solar plants.

At a press conference held at the headquarters of the Cooperativa de los Maestros, Octavio Bremón, its president, highlighted the importance of the plan for the massive installation of solar panels on roofs.

SO, this does not fit with what we are hearing from the supplier in  Punta Cana! 

I suspect that CEPM doing this will encourage the gov't to consider the same, afterall CEPM is being allowed by the gov't to do it. Perhaps even as a test to gauge reaction...

I never had plans to be attached to the grid, but in other places and under different circumstances it might seem to be a sensible, environmentally friendly thing to do and if you can make some pesos...why not, eh? LOL

Tragically things get copied, for good and evil, and this is not for the good!

Just a quick update.  My complaint is lodged with CEPM.  Now I have to play the waiting game.  Also recognize the issue is that as a consumer I have no control of my electricity consumption vs my electricity production because CEPM only lets me see what I consume.  My system tells me what I produce but the amount my system records is more than double what CEPM says I produce!!  No surprise, they only want money but are too narrow minded to see that I am contributing something even more valuable.

I'll keep you all posted...

I wonder if an electrical engineer can verify what you are producing and sending to the grid independently?  That would certainly help your case!

@DominicanadaMike

       Too bad  you couldn't sue them for theft of service in court with a class action suit

having a class action might get the courts attention

@Planner:  I am an electrical engineer, what you need is a "recognized" engineer, approved by CEPM and then perhaps they are corrupted.  Then you need to install an "approved" meter to take the readings over a period of time against the meter they already have in place.  Guess where the "approved" meter comes from... I have my readings every day for the past 6 years as my system records this daily and is connected to the internet and sends that information to the cloud.  Let's see how it goes but more and more people will realize whats going an and the SH..will hit the fan.

@Tippj: too soon for that...but collecting people is what I am trying to do...some do not realize the situation yet but they will.

Sorry  did not know that but yes I meant a Dominican Recognized Engineer! 

I absolutely know that you  know what you are talking about honey!   I learn from most of your posts and I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge! 

Getting a group together is a good plan!   I am still trying to  get EDESUR to tell me what they do!

@Tippj: The propane sounds like an option. Do you know where I can purchase such an animal? It's mainly refrigerators and freezers that I want to protect. A fan or 2 and a light or 2 would be great.
Thanks...
-@DominicanadaMike

           Hey mike , you could get any number of propane generators ,  they also make duel fuel generator's

vist Westinghouse outdoor power equipment , plus Duro Max  gas / propane there's a half doz company's out there to read up on and they're all around the same $$$ remember if you order and have it delivered your only doing it once so it might be worth the Peace of mind……just an idea…

Little up date on the duel fuel inverter generator…  Costco has them on sale

GXS7 / 7100W - Gas / propane   $899  , $400 off , i know one would have to ship

it in , but its a one time cost , these will last yer a life time….. merry Christmas 🎅

I dropped the ball on this post, sorry folks.  A quick update for residential solar users in the CEPM electrical area.  With much support and perseverance, a group of users was able to overturn CEPM's illegal decision through Protecom, the Superintendent of Electricity, to change our billing method and rates back to the way we had it in our contracts.  They were ordered to refund any money that was collected through this nefarious method and return our rates back to the original rates agreed.  Thanks to all of the people that grouped together and stood up to this Monopoly provider.

Wooooo hooooooo!!!!