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PUC approves rate reduction for 2014

GeneralPUC approves rate reduction for 2014

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has announced its proposal to put into effect reduced electricity rates at the start of 2014.

In an earlier decision in May of this year, the PUC had said that whereas BEL had proposed a Mean Electricity Rate (MER) of $0.4793 per kilowatt-hour, along with specific adjustments to specific regulated values, and specific tariffs for various consumption bands for various customer classes, the PUC, after its review, had approved a slightly higher rate of $0.4865 per kilowatt-hour.

The PUC is now proposing an approximate decrease of 8.22%, which would cause electricity rates to fall from 48.65¢ to 44.65¢ per kilowatt-hour.

The PUC has indicated that it intends to apply the rate reduction on January 1, 2014. The new approved rates would remain in effect until the end of June, 2014, when a new tariff period would take effect.

Earlier this year, the flat fee for social rate consumers was reduced from $5 a month to $4 a month, and the rate to be paid per kilowatt-hour decreased from 29 cents to 26 cents. This December 2013 proposal calls for the social rate be reduced further, to 24 cents a kilowatt-hour; but the flat rate would remain at $4.

According to the PUC, BEL recently made a submission for amendments to the 2013 ARP Final Decision, seeking a reduction in the approved tariffs.

The PUC is giving interested parties and the licensee until the end of the business day on Friday, December 27, 2013, to submit their written comments. Those submissions can either be hand-delivered to the PUC’s office at 41 Gabourel Lane, Belize City, or sent via email to [email protected].

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