By Zahiris Priscila Francisco Martínez

According to the 2022 World Small Hydropower Development Report (WSHPDR), the Dominican Republic ranks among Caribbean countries with 98 percent access to electricity in rural areas, leaving a two percent gap without supply. “Only Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti have large hydropower plants,” the report said, “while Grenada and Saint Lucia lack hydropower capacity altogether. In the remaining countries of the region, all existing hydropower capacity corresponds to small plants.” The DR in particular has an installed hydropower capacity of 623 megawatts.

Many of the isolated areas in the DR receive electricity from community micro-hydropower plants, a model that has made the country a benchmark over the past 27 years. As part of the Luz de Agua programme, Other state-supported projects based on the same model, but linked to different organisations, bring the total number of micro-hydropower plants in the country to just over 50.

Luz de Agua, a development model aimed at providing electricity to communities difficult to reach by conventional power grids, has been in operation for nearly three decades, driven by communities in isolated mountainous areas. It emerged from the vision of U.S. engineer Jon Katz, who was in the DR in the late 1990s, with a focus on social and development support.

From its inception, the Small Grants Programme (SGP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has promoted the initiative, which the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) then globally implemented with the aim of providing financial and technical support to civil society and community projects to “conserve and restore the environment, improve livelihoods, and achieve global environmental benefits through local actions.”

Although the project is carried out mainly in the eastern part of the island, some Haitian communities in border areas have also benefitted: electricity access for more than 22,000 people in over 5,000 households, a more than 60 percent decrease in energy expenses, and the absorption of more than 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year through the use of renewable energy. This information is based on reporting by Guakía Ambiente, one of the organisations supporting the project.

The first micro-hydropower plant to be successfully installed, in 1998, was the “El Limón Community Hydropower Plant” in the province of San José de Ocoa. Spearheaded by the El Limón Community Council, the plant has a capacity of 3.5 kilowatts (kW) and reaches 70 households in the area.

Environmental sciences graduate Michela Izzo, who is the current executive director of Guakía Ambiente — the leading non-profit organisation involved in the programme — explained that El Limón residents coined the popular phrase “Luz de Agua” to describe how, from a small water source, they finally managed to access an electricity supply.

Izzo joined the project in 2006 as head of practical feasibility studies, a role she held until 2019. “Everything started as a pilot, something new that no one had really worked on, especially at the community level here in the country. [T]here were other micro-hydropower experiences, but they were developed directly by companies or by the state, without direct involvement from local residents,” she explained.

“From the first plant, similar areas began to be identified, and from there emerged the survey of another 30 or 35 rural communities across the country, where water sources with the potential to meet the energy needs of the communities were preliminarily identified.” According to Izzo, there are currently 10 projects in the execution phase, with progress ranging from 35 to 90 percent.

Over time, the micro-hydropower plants of Tres Cruces, Pescado Bobo, Palma Herrada, La Vereda, Los Lirios, Los Mangos, and La Lomita were connected to the national power grid as a complementary source of generation to address reductions in water flow, especially during periods of extreme drought.

The model represents more than local growth: it promotes territorial development and protection by preventing indiscriminate exploitation. In addition, it encourages the decentralisation of electricity generation away from the conventional fossil-fuel–based regime and diversifies the management of generation sources within the framework of national energy security.

“The value of these projects,” concluded Izzo, “is associated with a different model of natural resource use, and represents a boost to sustainability. It is truly a great asset that the Dominican Republic can offer to the world, and for this reason it has become a global benchmark for this type of community-based model, fostering exchanges with several Latin American countries such as Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, and Venezuela, which have sought to learn more about this model of community management that has endured and demonstrated sustainability for more than 20 years.”

One of the challenges resulting from climate change is drought, which has become more intense and prolonged and directly impacts micro-hydropower plants. Because the operation of these structures depends on the water sources where they are installed, some — after periods of drought — are only operated during wet seasons. For such systems, hybrid generation solutions are currently being implemented to complement micro-hydropower production and ensure continuity of service.

What makes micro-hydropower plants different from large-scale projects?

Hydropower transforms water’s kinetic energy into electrical energy by taking advantage of the fall of water — the height difference between two points — to generate movement. “The fundamental mechanism of any hydropower plant,” Izzo explained, “[is that] moving water drives a turbine, similar in principle to a bicycle dynamo. This turbine spins a generator containing a coil within a magnetic field; as it rotates, an electric current is produced.”

For the system to function, you need a constant water flow and a sufficient elevation difference between the intake point and the turbine installation point. In the specific case of a micro-hydropower plant, Izzo noted, the kind of “high negative environmental impacts usually associated with large hydropower plants” is not observed, since the power levels are usually below 500 kW. Additionally, no dams are built, thereby avoiding flooding. “In micro-hydropower plants, only a portion of the available river water is diverted and channeled, using only a percentage of the flow, while maintaining an ecological flow that allows the water source to remain alive. The same water is returned to the source after passing through the turbine, at a distance not exceeding 2.5 kilometres from the intake point.”

The average duration of the construction process — which can take up to six years — depends largely on economic factors, equipment availability, technical training and, of course, the willingness of the local community. Micro-hydropower plants in the Dominican Republic serve from as few as five families to more than 280. The Arroyo Frío Hydropower Plant, for example, supplies the communities of El Arraiján, La Ciénaga, and Arroyo Frío, all located in the La Vega province.

Investment costs can also vary significantly, ranging from USD 13,800 to 1,350,000, while generation equipment expenses range from USD 3,600 to 180,000, according to data reported by Guakía Ambiente. Eighty-five percent of the total 48 installed hydropower plants are currently in operation, some with more than 25 years of service, and are fully managed by local communities.

Before micro-hydropower plants became operational, some families used other energy sources, like fossil fuel-based generators or solar panels. “In the communities where we work,” Izzo stated, “we establish a baseline at the beginning, and really, very few families have generators. In the less poor communities, there may be one or perhaps two, and they are usually turned on only once a week to wash clothes using a washing machine, but this is not common, since poverty levels are very high.”

Complementary photovoltaic systems as drought alternatives

In instances where droughts affecting water sources prevent the use of micro-hydropower plants, complementary photovoltaic systems can generate solar energy. This is especially useful when, because of climatic conditions, the use of existing plants is not possible. Among the communities with photovoltaic systems under construction are Vuelta Larga in María Trinidad Sánchez province, Fondo Grande in Dajabón, El Jengibre in Santiago Rodríguez, and Los Naranjales in Peravia.

A collaboration between the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MHE) and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) is currently looking at the implementation of solar photovoltaic systems in at least eight communities in Elías Piña province, where conditions do not allow for the installation of hydropower plants.

While there are currently no community wind projects in train, Izzo acknowledged the potential of wind and other renewables as supply sources. “Essentially,” she explained, “this is a model based on empowering local communities — working with people, ensuring they are part of the process, involved at every stage, assuming responsibilities, contributing labour and their own resources, and ultimately retaining the capacity to manage the system both administratively and technically.”

As for the continuation of this line of renewable generation and distribution, there is the possibility that, following the gradual expansion of the national electricity grid, once-isolated communities would be able to interconnect their existing systems to the national grid using a bidirectional meter. Not only would this allow them to receive electricity even when there is insufficient water, but they could also sell surplus electricity to the grid.

The community energy transition of El Palero

The El Palero Community Hydropower Plant, inaugurated on December 14, 2023, supplies energy to the predominantly agricultural communities of El Palero, Auqueyes, La Sierrecita, Cenoví, and La Cabirma, in Santiago Rodríguez province. The Council for the Community Development of El Palero (CODECOPA), which is responsible for the micro-hydropower plant, supplies electricity to 180 households, rural micro-enterprises, a school, a church, and public lighting.

Built by residents over the course of a decade, the plant is part of the Luz de Agua programme that, despite economic limitations, allowed them to remain in their community, motivated by family roots, love for their inherited land, and the desire for local development. Despite poor infrastructure, limited basic services, and scarce economic resources, access to electricity has helped the community achieve significant progress. Among the most urgent needs are improvements to the water supply system, the construction of a polyclinic, and the definitive repair of the road, as trips to health centres are long and dangerous.

Guakia Ambiente reported that the total cost for the construction of this particular plant was RD 84,767,311.40 (USD 1,353,037.18). Elvin Collado, one of the plant’s key maintenance technicians, said that residents contributed sweat equity to the project. Registration for each family wishing to participate was RD 1,000 (USD 15.96) and a monthly fee of RD 100 (US 1.60). In addition, each family contributed at least 180 days of unskilled labour, ultimately worth RD 20,659,271.99 (USD 329,758.75).

Other private and public entities contributed financially to the project, to the tune of RD 64,108,039.41 (USD 1,023,278.43). These funds went towards the purchase of pipes, installation of electrical networks, and domestic installations by the state, which, according to Collado, took up to two years to cover only some parts of the community. CODECOPA then took on the responsibility of properly managing the system and respecting usage regulations, so that future energy demands can be met according to installed capacity.

On the other hand, some families chose not to participate and to this day, remain disconnected from the energy provided by the micro-hydropower plant. Based on the approved usage regulations, these families have the possibility of benefiting if, after requesting it, they pay the established amount through a payment agreement signed with both the hydropower committee and the community organisation.

The established payment tariff for each family’s energy use, which extends to domestic, educational and other productive activities as well as public lighting, ranges from RD 400.00 (USD 6.38) to RD 700.00 (USD 11.17) per month. For tourism establishments, this may increase to RD 1,500.00 (US D 23.94) per month.

According to Collado, the condition for obtaining energy was labour. “Anyone who wants electricity must work,” he stated. Recounting how difficult it was for the community to carry pipes uphill, transporting them in parts and by hand through the mountains, the community needed as many hands on deck as possible. Access to the communities is via a paved road up to the La Leonor sector, followed by a stone pavement from there onward; a dense network of rural paths — traversable on foot or on animals — connects other settlements on both sides of the country’s central mountain range.

Each household was equipped with a wiring and distribution network system tailored to its specific needs, ensuring safe and reliable energy use, with a 4- or 6-amp breaker depending on individual requirements. The micro-hydropower system allows the community to have electricity 24 hours a day, significantly facilitating household tasks, with particular benefits for women. It also enables food refrigeration, keeps appliances operating, and expands access to resources such as the internet, enhancing educational development.

A small team of community technicians oversees plant operations, and the communities have been trained in efficient energy use and various environmental topics, such as climate change, natural resource management, reforestation, and watershed management, strengthening their scientific knowledge of the environment and contributing to the reduction of climate risks.