# Dominican Republic electricity sector leadership transition > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/dominican-republic-electricity-sector-leadership-transition > Updated: 2026-08-21T01:05:43.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2. Joel Santos, the Minister of Energy and Mines, has assumed the presidency of the Unified Council of Electricity Distribution Companies (CUED) in the Dominican Republic. His leadership aims to unify strategic management, improve service quality, and accelerate the modernization of distribution networks for companies including Edenorte, Edesur, and Edeeste. This transition occurs amid rising energy losses, which increased from 36% in late 2023 to 38.9% by May 2026. While infrastructure projects are underway—such as the repowering of the Quisqueya substation and modernization efforts in San José de Ocoa—significant challenges persist. Experts highlight the need for political decisions and management changes to address non-technical losses, including electricity fraud and insufficient metering, particularly in areas where meter installation has lagged. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-21: Joel Santos assumes presidency of CUED to modernize electricity sector Joel Santos, Dominican Republic's Minister of Energy and Mines, has taken over the presidency of CUED to modernize the nation's electricity distribution and improve service quality. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/joel-santos-assumes-presidency-of-cued-to-modernize-electricity-sector ### 2026-08-18: Joel Santos assumes CUED presidency to lead Dominican electric sector Joel Santos assumes presidency of CUED to modernize the Dominican Republic's electric sector amid rising energy losses and ongoing infrastructure investments by Edesur and Edeeste. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/joel-santos-appointed-to-lead-dominican-electricity-distributors --- Cite as: Dominican Republic electricity sector leadership transition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/dominican-republic-electricity-sector-leadership-transition