President Luis Abinader visited CEPM’s facilities in Bávaro, accompanied by Rolando González Bunster, president and CEO of InterEnergy Group. During this visit, the president learned in depth about the successful management model that has consolidated CEPM as a benchmark in the energy sector in Latin America and the Caribbean, and a key support for tourism development in the Dominican Republic.
“It is an honor for us to receive President Luis Abinader and share how we have achieved high standards of efficiency in our operations. Our success in energy management not only reflects a level of excellence befitting the most advanced countries, but also attracts the attention of international leaders who see our work as a model to follow,” said González Bunster.
Ensuring quality and reliability in electricity supply
CEPM is among the top three electricity distributors in Latin America with less than 500,000 customers, certified by the Regional Energy Integration Commission (CIER). In 2023, its customers experienced on average only 6 outages totaling 4.14 hours, including scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. In other words, short interruptions, well below the 520 hours allowed per year by the Superintendency of Electricity. In addition, in the last five years, the company has contributed RD$5,416 million in taxes, representing 11% of the taxes paid by the energy sector in the country.
These indicators reflect the exceptional quality of CEPM’s service, ensuring that customers never have to worry about a lack of energy. While in other areas of the country businesses and hotels must invest in generating plants to guarantee their power supply, CEPM offers continuous and stable service, allowing customers to concentrate on their operations without fear of service failures.
Thanks to its innovative Quatro Systems, CEPM is the first and only distributor in the country with 100% of its customers connected to smart meters.
This system, developed by Dominican talent and awarded nationally and internationally, allows customers to manage their energy consumption in real time through different channels (CEPM App, WhatsApp, Virtual Office, ATMs, payment points…), with flexible prepaid and postpaid options.
Since its launch in 2014, the system has grown exponentially, currently covering more than 63,000 customers, of which more than 72 % are prepaid users. Its success has transcended borders, being used in distributors in Costa Rica, Aruba and Chile serving millions of people, marking a milestone in the regional energy industry.
Boosting tourism with reliable and sustainable energy solutions
CEPM has been a pillar in the sustainable development of tourism in the Eastern region, investing more than US$1.1 billion in infrastructure and technological innovation to provide and guarantee reliable and quality energy service 24/7. Today, it supplies energy to 65% of the hotel supply in the Dominican Republic.
In its commitment to offer solutions that facilitate cost reduction for its customers, CEPM has developed projects such as District Energy, which allows hotels to reduce operating expenses by 30%.
This system, which benefits more than 28,000 rooms with advanced thermal technologies, uses steam or residual heat from the plant’s chimneys to superheat water, which is transported through a 14-kilometer network to the tourist center, where absorption chillers produce chilled water and heat exchangers generate sanitary hot water.
For more than 30 years, CEPM has been committed to innovative solutions for clean energy generation, eliminating thousands of tons of CO2 annually and transforming its concession area into a green tourist destination. Currently, the company has 29 photovoltaic projects in operation and under development, totaling 262 MWp, of which 16 are with clients of the world’s leading hotel chains.
Through the CEPM Zero initiative, which seeks carbon neutrality in CEPM by 2030, the company will incorporate close to 800 MW of renewable energy, including wind, solar, pumped hydro and green hydrogen, and storage systems of more than 230 MW, with an investment of more than US$1 billion.
CEPM’s successful management model has demonstrated a remarkable ability to solve energy challenges in its concession area while maintaining the highest quality standards in the industry. Its focus on innovation, sustainability and operational excellence positions CEPM as a leader that could transform the country’s energy landscape, offering a path to a cleaner, more efficient and reliable future.
President Abinader’s visit concluded at Evergo Connect, the first electric charging station in the Dominican Republic and Latin America, equipped with 29 fast charging stations for electric vehicles powered exclusively by CEPM’s renewable energy.
This innovative project features ultra-fast chargers that can charge a vehicle in just 15-20 minutes, placing the Dominican Republic at the forefront of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the region.
Source:Elnuevodiario.com.do
