Community micro-hydropower in the Dominican RepublicCEFR A2
29 Mar 2026
Adapted from Zahiris Priscila Francisco Martínez, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Fran Pencliffe, Unsplash
The Dominican Republic has near-universal rural electrification, but some isolated communities still lack regular supply. Small and micro-hydropower systems have become important for remote mountainous areas. The Luz de Agua programme has supported community micro-hydropower for nearly three decades and roughly fifty small plants now operate in the country. The first community plant began in 1998 and served about seventy households.
These community plants are built and managed by local people. They lower family energy costs and reduce pollution. Droughts can limit operation, so some communities add solar panels. In other places communities can connect to the national grid to receive power or sell surplus energy.
Difficult words
- electrification — bringing electricity to homes and areas
- isolated — far away from towns or other people
- micro-hydropower — small electricity from water in local streams
- programme — organized project with planned support
- household — people who live together in one homehouseholds
- drought — long period with little or no rainDroughts
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Discussion questions
- Would you like a small community power plant in your area? Why or why not?
- How could solar panels help communities during droughts?
- What benefits do local people have when they manage their own power plants?
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