BEL Warns of Financial Strain Despite Tariff Increase

Starting Thursday, January first, Belize Electricity Limited will roll out new tariffs after the Public Utilities Commission gave the green light. But BEL says the increase isn’t enough to keep the lights on without financial strain. The PUC approved a bump of just 3 cents per kilowatt-hour over thirty months. BEL wanted nearly five cents over twenty-four months. That shortfall is almost nineteen million dollars. And the company’s books tell the story of millions owed to power producers, mounting local debt, and over eighty million spent on emergency gas turbines to avoid blackouts. BEL warns that without those investments; Belize could have faced two hours of daily outages. Still, delays in solar projects cost consumers big, fifty-three million dollars in potential savings gone. BEL promises tighter control and transparency but reserves the right to recover costs later. So, for now, your bill goes up a little. But can Belize keep electricity reliable and affordable without shocking your wallet?