BELIZE CITY. Sun. Feb. 6, 2022– On Friday, February 4, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) announced its final decision after extending its public consultation on the increased cost of power outlined in the Final Draft of the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) 2021 Annual Review Proceeding (ARP). As reported, the PUC was considering a possible increase in electricity rates from 39.9 cents per-kilowatt-hour to 41.58 cents per-kilowatt-hour for the next six months of this year.

After reviewing the feedback received through those consultations, the PUC has decided to keep the current Mean Electricity Rate (M.E.R) unchanged at 39.9 cents per kilowatt hour rather than increasing the rate to 41.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. The rate will remain as is until June 13.

BEL had mentioned previously that they do not support a rate increase at this time, given the strenuous economic conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and, according to BEL chairman, Andrew Marshalleck, they had preferred to recover the almost 10 million dollars in the increased cost of power sometime after 2023.

According to BEL, the rate increase projected for this period is due to the increased cost of power purchased during the last few months of last year and a projected increase in the cost of power in the early months of 2022 due to low in-country hydroelectric generation, given scanty rain projections.