The investment was more than RD $95 million
Over the last two years they have built more than 9 micro-hydroelectric dams in the country, in different communities and rural areas, benefiting more than four thousand families and ten schools. The investment was more than RD $95 million and the installed capacity is over 253 kilowatts.
Of the micro-hydro dams that are in operation are the ones at La Majagua, in Monte Plata, Los Naranjalesd, in San Jose de Ocoa, El Recodo in Azua, El Jengibre, in Santiago Rodriguez, Piedra Los Veganos in Monsignor Nouel.
In La Vega there is the one at Paso de la Perra-Jarabacoa, Angostura-Jarabacoa, El Dulce-Jarabacoa and Fondo Grande, in Dajabon.
Ready to be built with the support of the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) and other local and international agencies and with an installed capacity of 665 KW and a total investment of RD $171.1 million are the small dams at El Pijote-Neyba, and Majagual in Bahoruco; El Limon, in San Jose de Ocoa, Villa Nizao in Barahona, El Jamo in San Francisco de Macoris.
The micro-hydroelectric installations at El Vallecito, in Santiago Rodriguez, Canastica and La Cabirma; Los Mangos in Puerto Plata.In Azua, the micro dams will be at Boca de las Lajas, El Montazo, Rancho del Pino and in San Juan de la Maguana, Le Higuera and Ingenito are also included in the program
Thelma Eusebio, the director general of the UERS, the Rural Electrification agency, said that the hydroelectric dams will allow the communities to not only receive electricity 24/7, but they will also allow some of the citizens to become entrepreneurs in some micro-businesses.
Likewise, the program will allow the community schools to have access to technological media and the housewives will have an easier home life since they will be able to wash and iron more comfortably, and have the time to educate their children and enjoy greater family integration.
In 2009, the government announced that it was planning to build 31 micro-hydroelectric dams with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with the aim of guaranteeing the supply of electricity to the population that resides in the most distant and remote areas.
In the South, the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (Indrhi), the foundation Sur Futuro, and the UNDP started a program of rural electrification that will be developed in 55 communities in the mountains of the country, with a small investment of US $6.6 million which seeks to benefit 16,500 persons now and within five years, some 151,300.
The hydroelectric potential of the country is estimated to be between 5,000 and 7,000 gigawatts of generation on a yearly basis, of which 4,500 gigawatts are useable. Hydro-electricity is that which comes from the use of river waters.
