Dominican Republic evaluates nuclear energy and reports labor formality gains

The Dominican Republic is undergoing significant economic and structural shifts across its energy, labor, and trade sectors.

In the energy sector, the government is evaluating the incorporation of nuclear power to support long-term economic growth and diversify the energy matrix. This comes amid challenges in the electricity distribution system, where losses reached an average of 39.1% in the first half of 2026. Edeeste reported the highest loss rate at 55.9%. To combat these inefficiencies and modernize infrastructure, investments in electricity distributors are expected to exceed US$300 million in 2025, supported by funding from the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Regarding the labor market, the country has reached its highest level of formal employment in decades, with formality hitting 45.9% at the end of 2025. This growth is particularly notable among women, whose occupation rate has surpassed 50%, and among young people. Additionally, the Ministry of Labor has conducted over 500 operations in the first quarter of 2026 to combat child labor, with a heavy focus on the agricultural sector.

In trade, the agro-industrial sector remains a cornerstone of the economy, accounting for approximately seven out of every ten dollars in national exports. While agro-industrial exports have grown significantly, the country also faces rising costs in agricultural imports, which have increased by 78.5% over the last six years.