(BNamericas) The Dominican Republic’s national energy commission CNE has rejected local company Energía 2000’s definitive concession request for the 360MW natural gas-fired Manzanillo Power Land project. According to the government authority, the company has not demonstrated it has the technical capacity to develop the project and the operation would be inefficient due to the proposed technology and increase system costs.

CNE also points to the lack of evidence of a gas supply contract or letter of intent; a financial scheme and detailed costs of each component such as the pipeline, and generation and regasification plants; and economic details of the electrical works.

In 2018, power regulator SIE recommended that CNE grant the company a definitive concession to operate the plant for up to 30 years. Following the watchdog’s recommendation, Energía 2000 submitted the definitive concession request to CNE whose power and hydrocarbons departments determined following an initial review that the project had “inconsistencies at a technical level.”

Although the company submitted additional information, it did not clear up CNE’s observations. BNamericas was unable to contact Energía 2000 for comment.

Manzanillo would be built at Copey in the municipality of Pepillo Salcedo, Montecristi province, and according to preliminary information, the project would be carried out in three 120MW phases.

Components include a 110km, 345kV transmission line and gas receiving terminal.