from a friend...
If I were the queen of electricity regulation, I would impose the following
regulation on the electricity provider for Belize:
--A fine each time there's an electrical power outage of greater than 15
minutes that cannot be dealt with by redundant electrical systems that pick
up when one source of power is cut-off AND that cannot be attributed to:
--Force majeure (Act of God such as hurricane, storm, etc.)
--Act of sabotage by a party completely unconnected with the
electricity provider
--A release of the consumer from payment of the equivalent of 24 hour's
electrical usage each time a power outage exceeds 2 hours in the aggregate,
in any 24 hour period.
--Huge fines for failure of the electric company to timely extend electrical
power according to an approved plan to communities that do not have
electrical power.
--A requirement that the utility purchase power at reasonable rates that is
produced by private parties through alternative energy sources such as solar
and wind generated power.
--A requirement that the utility offer low-interest loans to consumer to
purchase and install power-saving appliances, light bulbs, etc.
--Heavy fines for failure to perform reasonable and ordinary maintenance of
the electrical system, such as inspection and maintenance of power pole
installations that are foreseeably corroded by salt air, resulting in damage
to electrical equipment owned by consumers and businesses, and down time for
employees and machinery.
The utility's compliance with these regulations would be assessed by the
regulator in its reasonable discretion.
BEL has a monopoly granted by the State. The reason for a grant of a
monopoly by the State to a utility company is to allow the utility to charge
somewhat higher rates than market rates in return for the utility extending
service to areas that would otherwise not be profitable to serve, and to
make upgrades to the system that might not otherwise be economically
reasonable.
BEL is doing none of these things. Instead, it is reaping obscene profits.
Why???????? (Gosh, do you think it could be . . . nah . . .)