Public Frustration Grows Over Skyrocketing Electricity Bills

News Five has been tracking growing public outrage over soaring electricity bills. BEL says higher usage is driving the spike and is urging customers to conserve, but many aren’t convinced, especially with some bills nearly doubling. Now, weighing in, CEO in the Ministry of Public Utilities, Dr. Leroy Almendarez, points to another factor, rising fuel costs cutting into BEL’s margins. With Belize importing over half its electricity, he says the increases still largely come down to how much energy customers are using.

 

Leroy Almendarez, Chief Executive Officer, Minister of Public Utilities

“If you take a look at your light bill you will see it have different bans and it will tell you what it cost, just like when you go to the store. Between zero and fifty it is about thirty-four cents per kilowatt hour. That is your bill. That is all you use. But when you go from fifty-one to two hundred there is another cost per kilowatt hour in there. Multiply all of those things and at the bottom line it will tell you what your bill is. First thing to look at is look at that bill and consumption overtime and see how that increase. Fror your bill to go form one hundred to seven hundred, that is stretch when you look at it, but again look at your consumption. Take a look at your bill when you go home to make sure that leaking is not occurring and that even though you believe, sometimes you left on, and I must also say this, and the electrical engineers will also tell you, if you keep something plugged in, if you keep everything plugged in, really those things are still pushing power. They are hot. That is why if you leave one of your mobile charges plugged in and it can cause a fire because there is still power passing through. Take off all of those thing, because energy conservation is a part of reducing your bill as well.”

 

CEO Almendarez says BEL’s rollout of smart meters is designed to empower consumers, not mislead them.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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