BEL Rations Electricity

Portions of the country are currently experiencing power outages as Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is forced to ration electricity. A release from the company notes that all districts will be affected at some point between ten o’clock this morning and 11 pm. This morning saw the rural areas of Orange Walk affected.

The country finds itself in quite a predicament as the energy supply available in-country is maxed at 95 megawatts. With a demand of up to 125 megawatts, BEL is relying on external sources like the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in Mexico to meet Belize’s demands. The issue with this is that the CFE is having an issue with a substantial increase in energy demand as Mexico goes through its tourism season and temperatures increase.

Incidentally, CFE recently notified BEL that it will be decreasing its energy supply to Belize for the next 48 hours. While BEL has attempted composure at the gravity of the situation, Love News understands that with the gas turbine at Westlake currently undergoing an upgrade through to next week, and with the San Pedro gas turbine weeks away from being fully installed, the consistent power outages are expected to continue.

According to BEL, once these gas turbines come online, the outages won’t be necessary even if the CFE curtails on its energy supply. A release from BEL this morning indicates that the areas likely to be impacted in the first instance include portions of Orange Walk. In the early afternoon, load shedding is expected to impact portions of Corozal, San Ignacio, Dangriga, Belize and Independence.