The sanction of five million dollars imposed on 21st century Dominican airports (Aerodom) for the electrical failure at the Américas International Airport (Aila) constitutes a milestone for fines applied directly to a concessionary company In the Dominican Republic.
The Airport Commission adopted the measure after a Preliminary report which attributed the failure of last Sunday to the collapse of the medium voltage cell in the northern terminal and the unavailability of the backup system.
State sanctions
In addition to the fine, Aerodom must cover the costs caused to passengers and airlines and execute a Structural intervention in the electrical system of the airport within three months.
Prior to the sanction of Aerodomin 2005 the Superintendence of Electricity (Sie) sanctioned the American company Smith-Enronelectric barge operator, with a fine of RD $ 13.2 million (about US $ 408,000). The company was found guilty of “repeated contempt” under the orders of the system coordinating agency.
Lojun Corporation was also sanctioned by the operation of the Duchess landfill in 2017. The concessionary company of the landfill failed environmental and contractual obligations, with inappropriate management of waste and leachate that caused fires, pollution and health crises in Santo Domingo.
He fined Lajun with RD $ 16 million and subsequently militarized landfill. Finally, the contract was terminated and the operation went to the State.
In 2021 the Minera Belfond Enterprise was sanctioned by contamination with calcium carbonate dust in the city of Barahona. The Ministry of Environment temporarily suspended its transport and export operations until the company implemented corrective measures, if there was economic sanction it was not announced.
In 2023 the barges of Karpowership caused a spill of hydrocarbons waste in Old Puerto de Azuathe Ministry of Environment opened a sanctioning process against the floating generator of Turkish origin.
The company was forced to stop the transfer of fuels and faces an economic sanction pending defining. But it was not clear if there was a fine.
As recent as in 2025 andThe state sued Falcando The termination of the Dominican Falconbridge mining concession due to environmental, contractual and labor breaches, including abandonment of operations and irregular sale of state assets.
The process seeks the definitive cancellation of the contract and The loss of concession.
However, for years the mining exploitation of Falconbridge in the Dominican Republic It has been very limited.
Bad business for the State
In contrast, private companies They have had said negotiating with the Dominican State:
Electricity distributors (1999-2003). The Dominican State privatized 50% of EDENORTE and Edesur to the Spanish Unión Fenosa and delivered Edeeste To the American AES group. The model failed: the blackouts persisted and financial conflicts grew.
In 2003, during the electrical crisis, the Government reversed the concession, repurchased the actions and returned the distributors to state control. The operation cost the country about US $ 300 million, paid to Unión Fenosa To settle your departure in 2006.
The highway Santo Domingo–Samaná, whose contract of the “Shadow toll“Forced the State to disburse billions in Annual compensationuntil in 2021 US $ 410 million was paid to cancel the concession in advance, then the Government assured that the country saved the payment of more than 1.5 billion dollars for the duration of the contract.
The case of Codacsahighway concessionaire The Americasthat after a International arbitration In 2012 he forced the country to pay US $ 45 million for Failure to comply with the contract.
The privatization of electricity distributors through the agreement with Unión Fenosa in 1999, reversed in 2003, in which the State ended up paying hundreds of millions of dollars to repurchase assets without the improvement of the service.
The contract with AAA Dominican For commercial water management in Santo Domingoterminated in 2021 after being considered harmful, without significant benefits for the population.
