B.E.L. rents standby power for dry season

With demand for electricity up,
Mexican power supplies tight,
and the dry season just around
the corner, Belize Electricity
Limited is taking no chances.
Today it announced that it will
rent six diesel generators
capable of producing an
additional ten megawatts of power over the next
five months. B.E.L.'s Derek Davis explains that the
extra capacity will tide the utility over until new
sources come on stream.

Derek Davis, Vice President for Energy Supply
"The load is growing year by year. Last year we saw
2002 over 2001; we saw approximately eight percent
growth. We are expecting another eight to ten percent
02-03. And therefore we have to continue to be
adding capacity. The situation is we have two major
projects on stream right now, the Chalillo project,
which has been delayed for a few years. We also have
the gas turbine project, which, however, will not be
completed for this dry season. That's gonna be
completed approximately in July 2003. In effect, in our
planning process we had identified that we're going to
be need additional capacity. So we needed to source
that capacity from either, say, Mexico, or rent units.
We tried Mexico, given the fact that it would be
cheaper, but Mexico is saying we cannot assist this
time because we have capacity concerns of our own.
And therefore we have no other option but to rent
units. The fact that they're coming in now, is that if
you are renting units, you don't bring them in early,
you bring them in when you need them."

The five-month rental from Gentrac Limited will
cost B.E.L. two point one million dollars. The units
will be located in Ladyville. Commissioning of a new
two hundred and fifty megawatt plant in
Campeche, Mexico, sometime after March, should
provide further backup for any increase in demand
or shortfall in electricity supply.

No place in the world can beat Belize when it comes to the combined ability of wind and sun to make power.
How sad that government corruption and resulting protection of monopolies deprives Belizeans of the ability to use these renewable resources to create and distribute power.
Because the laws are written to protect "grateful" (to pols) monopoly providers rather than to encourage sustainable and affordable energy resource development, it is illegal for communities to combine resources and purchase the equipment that, although expensive for an individual or family, would be affordable if neighborhoods and communities could pool their resources.
And of course, the high cost of utilities are a major factor in why businesses don't set up shop in Belize.

Ditto Susanng!!!! C......

So sad we all think we gotta have all this electricity... I read where Several large Energy companies are putting in a total of 22 plants just south of the US border... that way they get by with less OSHA rules and can have more pollution in the air!!! One of my favorite US destinations Near San Diego, CA will be hit the hardest with EXTRA pollution in the air.... I guess I won't be going there for a relaxing long weekend any time soon!! Now the demand for energy is exceeding the supply in such a big way, we all ought to reconsider what and how much we really need?

Susangg,
do you use wind or solar-power? What are your experience with it?
Hans