Anetty Lerebours

Anetty Lerebours has always worked to help her hometown. Born and raised in Las Matas, Dominican Republic—a small town located about 20 miles from the Haitian border—Anetty still lives there with her husband and child. As director of the Central Co-op, a local savings and loan cooperative that supports small businesses, Anetty is all too aware of spending resources to resolve electricity problems. Like other businesses in Las Matas, the Central Co-op has depended on erratic electric service. Anetty says, “At any time of day, it may go out.

The Co-op is often open 8 to 12 hours a day; about 80 percent of that time, we have to run our own backup generator.” And generators are expensive to purchase and maintain, especially for nonprofit cooperatives. “We’ve invested 600,000 Dominican pesos (US$ 19,500) in the inverter and generator and pay an exorbitant fuel fee. It costs us about 80,000 pesos (US$ 2,600) per month. In addition, we have a 300-gallon tank that sometimes has to be filled four times a month.” Power problems affect the town’s residents and businesses alike—about 50,000 people in all. Anetty says, “If we buy a month’s supply of cheese or meat, it is certain to spoil. If we want to watch television and the light goes out, we have to use our backup system and spend money on a generator.” Until recently, residents accepted these costs as a necessary evil. But since NRECA International arrived to help establish the Cooperativa Electrica La Fronteriza, known as La Fronteriza, residents have new hope.

La Fronteriza will manage the local distribution system and work to bring reliable electric service to Las Matas. Although the system is st ill being developed, Anetty recognizes what reliable electric service will mean for the Central Co-op. She says, “We won’t have to spend 80,000 pesos a month on fuel and can sell the equipment. ” Anetty believes reliable electric service will help the community to grow. “Just imagine what can happen when people can free up the money to do other things.” Anetty is confident that La Fronteriza will change life, not only for herself and her family, but for the entire Las Matas community. “We have heard what NRECA International and the electric co-ops have done in other parts of the world; we look forward to the difference they will make in our community.