Photo: Andrew Marshalleck, Chairman, BEL
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Fri. June 23, 2023
On Thursday, June 22, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) hosted its annual general meeting, laying out the vision for Belize’s energy infrastructure for the next five years.
BEL reassured stakeholders that there was no immediate threat to the overall stability of the company’s current provision of electricity to the country, and outlined its plans to tackle the ongoing power issues.
Following the meeting, AMANDALA spoke with Andrew Marshalleck, chairman of BEL’s board of directors, who discussed the current status of Belize’s power supply and shed light on the recent power outages in Belize.
He explained that the country has been struggling with a significant power supply shortage due to a prolonged heat wave. This demand surge, combined with a similar crisis extending into Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, from which Belize receives over half of its electricity supply, has resulted in recurrent blackouts across several areas in Belize.
Marshalleck further discussed Belize’s longstanding power capacity issues, pointing out the failures to identify and secure additional generation capacity over the past 20 years.
“With the growth in demand, there will come a time that we will not be able to manage unless additional capacity is put in place,” Marshalleck cautioned.
Nevertheless, he assured the public that BEL has immediate and long-term plans to navigate the crisis. In the short term, BEL plans to rent portable generators in areas of high demand and strategic locations to meet immediate power needs. Despite being a costly measure, it serves as an important temporary solution to ease the current energy shortage.
In the long term, BEL is setting in motion a series of infrastructure projects aimed at boosting the country’s power generation capacity.
According to Marshalleck, the company is planning the construction of two solar farms near Babco in Chan Chen and Maskall, along with a rice generation plant in Southern Belize. BEL also intends to upgrade the gas turbine facility at Mile 8 for improved fuel-to-electricity conversion.
These projects, expected to be fully operational in the next 12-15 months, would strengthen the country’s readiness for any similar power crises in the future, as building capacities is not an overnight process and would require time and strategic planning.
Luckily, areas like Caye Caulker, which are not connected to the mainline grid, would not be affected in terms of generation capacity.
In regard to what has hindered capacity increase over the years, Marshalleck pointed out that traditionally, BEL’s role was solely to transmit and distribute energy from power producers. However, the current crisis may demand a shift, requiring BEL to engage in generating its own supply to meet the country’s needs.
The discussion also touched upon the campaign to use solar grids for energy. While solar energy holds promise, Marshalleck highlighted the issues of cost and its inability to meet electricity needs at peak demand hours during the evening, specifically from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
He also noted that BEL continues its efforts to maintain current rates. However, if the situation doesn’t improve in the next 12-15 months, Belize may face rate increases and more power outages, he said.
“I’m not saying that the sky is falling down. What I’m saying is that projecting into the future, we have to do something about the issues that caused us to be here in the first place. And we have to do that as a matter of urgency,” Marshalleck said.