Electricity providers face scrutiny over rising bills and outages

Utility companies and regulators in Argentina and the Dominican Republic are addressing widespread concerns regarding rising electricity costs and service reliability.

In Argentina, the Organismo de Control de la Energía Eléctrica de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (OCEBA) has launched commercial audits of distributors like Edelap. These investigations follow numerous complaints from residents in areas such as Tolosa and San Carlos regarding excessive billing. Meanwhile, in Catamarca, legislators have warned that energy costs could become “impagables” (unpayable) for families as summer temperatures rise.

In the Dominican Republic, electricity distributors (Edeeste, Edenorte, and Edesur) have clarified that recent increases in bill amounts are due to higher seasonal consumption driven by extreme heat rather than tariff hikes. They noted a 10.4% increase in demand compared to the previous year. However, citizens in Nagua have protested against both high bills and frequent blackouts, demanding a 30% tariff reduction. Additionally, the Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica Dominicana (ETED) has scheduled maintenance work that will cause temporary power interruptions across several provinces, including Santo Domingo, Barahona, and Independencia.