Santo Domingo, DR—Joel Santos, the Minister of Energy and Mines, addressed the public on Thursday to refute claims circulating in media and social networks regarding the completion of a technical report on the recent national electricity grid failure. Santos emphasized that any documents currently in circulation are unofficial and lack formal endorsement. He assured that the investigation remains ongoing, with the technical committee set to reconvene on Friday, June 14, to continue its detailed review of data from all participants in the National Interconnected Electricity System (SENI).
The Minister highlighted the importance of a thorough and rigorous inquiry, which must encompass all aspects of the grid, including transmission, distribution, generation, system operation, and field personnel. The investigation also focuses on evaluating protection mechanisms and protocols to determine the exact cause of the blackout and to enhance the resilience of the national electrical system.
Santos outlined two primary lines of inquiry: verifying compliance with field operating protocols to assess potential human error, and analyzing technical data from various components of the electrical system to confirm their performance during the failure. He reiterated that the technical committee is meticulously examining the sequence of events, equipment, and maneuvers involved, in accordance with current regulations.
The committee comprises representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Superintendency of Electricity, the Coordinating Body, the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company (ETED), Electricity Distribution Companies (Edenorte, Edesur, and EDE Este), private generators, and state generators Punta Catalina and Egehid.
Santos urged the media and public to rely solely on official information from the Electricity Cabinet and to avoid spreading unverified reports that could cause confusion. The blackout, which occurred last Tuesday at 1:23 p.m., was attributed to a ‘human operational error’ that caused a severe disturbance in the SENI, leading to widespread chaos in Greater Santo Domingo and other provinces. The incident disrupted mass transportation and resulted in significant losses across productive sectors.