AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Electricity outages

Just another one... That was number three today.

How many more we need for the Guinness Book of Records?
Because after this we can go back to normal....

They make marine wind generators and stand up very well to salty and variable wind conditions. The biggest problem is that you are not allowed to share what you generate with anyone else. One decent, and quiet one cans service several homes. Same issue with solar. Not until people stand up to the government and monopolies will things change.

I have had mine up for about a year and have had no problems due to the location and seaside weather. Harriets right I could share my power with m neighbors but that's against the law. It's a bad law made to favor the company not the consumer. It should be changed.

Water shortage, and now electrical issues. Not a good sign as tourism dollars get harder to find.

Ron, I would be quite interested in your experience in siting, installing and operating the turbine. Please drop me a note if you have the time. Thanks, Martin

EQUIPMENT FAILURE THIS MORNING PLUNGED THE NATION INTO BLACKOUT TWICE TODAY

April 15, 2010

Two power outages affected the entire country this morning. According to a BEL the outages were caused by burnt crossarm on the transmission line between Mexico and Orange Walk. The first outage was around 6:45 this morning and according to BEL officials power was brought back slowly; however further difficulties caused a second power outage around 9:55. BTL says power has been restored in certain parts of Belize City and other parts of the country. The estimate time for full power restoration is was 12-30 pm.

Is that the case even if no money is involved?

Co-Op the the generator. Anyone involved financially in the cost of purchase and opperation would not break the law. Right?

I've thought about the coop idea. There's an island in Maine with about 1250 people or similar in size to CC, that has their own turbines ( 3 of them) that the town owns and operates. The island name is Fox island. You can google it for more info. They have turbines capable of generating 4.5mw of power more than enough for CC and a good start up in SP. You need space for them, siting is important. Fox Island feeds back into the grid and also draws from the grid when necessary. With wind or solar you need another source for when the wind don't blow or the sun don't shine. I have 16 batteries which if I'm frugal in my use of power can last 3 days or so. I also don't have AC, I do have many ceiling fans and an electric frig and water pump. I have an electric stove but that wasn't one of my better ideas. Uses too much power for my inverter. Right now I'm not there often enough to worry about the stove, just know that my electric cooktop will be on sale next November replaced by a gas one. Next week when I'm down in Belize I'll probably give my Belizean attorney a call and ask his opinion.

Champion (and ron), that was going to be my same question. While it may be against the law to share the power you generate yourself, what is to stop a group of neighbors from buying their own turbine(s) together and sharing the power that is generated from their jointly-owned source? Is there any difference between this and a group going in on the purchase of a generator?