2024-07-31 08:06:25
CELEC has made public that the Toachi Pilatón hydroelectric plant was the target of an attempted sabotage approximately one month ago, the entity reported this week.
This hydroelectric plant is currently in the testing phase and, as announced by CELEC, is expected to come into operation during the first quarter of next year, contributing 200 megawatts to the national electricity system.
CELEC’s Hidrotoapi Business Unit filed the corresponding complaint on June 4 with the Santo Domingo Prosecutor’s Office. Fabián Calero, manager of CELEC, provided additional details about the incident:
«Two fuses were removed from the plant’s drainage system. We, as the administration, filed a complaint on June 4 with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for attempted sabotage of that unit, which implies the risk of flooding the machine room due to the drainage system not operating properly.»
The reported sabotage attempt coincides with a mediation process between CELEC and the Russian company Tyazhmash, responsible for the installation of the hydroelectric plant’s electromechanical equipment. Although Tyazhmash’s contract expired in March, the company continues to work with the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the final details.
During the initial stages of testing, the operation of the gates and the entry of water into the turbines was verified, as part of the preparation process for full operation of the plant.