Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) advises customers that, with the onset of the rainy season, customers may experience weather-related power outages, as has been experienced in several areas across the country during the past week.

Recent severe lightning storms have caused damage to transformers and other electrical equipment on BEL's transmission and distribution systems in the Toledo, Cayo and Belize Districts, resulting in power interruptions to customers in those areas.

Repairs and replacement of equipment on the transmission line supplying the Southern Zone, which were damaged during a lightning storm on Tuesday night, required an emergency 3-hour power outage for the entire Stann Creek and Toledo District on Wednesday morning.

A portion of the Belize District also experienced a lengthy unplanned power outage yesterday. At 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 6, BEL dispatched crews to identify and rectify the cause of the system interruption which affected the villages of Crooked Tree, Sand Hill, Grace Bank, Gardenia and Biscayne.

While conducting extensive field evaluations, employees found that the source of the outage was a damaged 50kVA transformer at Mile 21 on the Northern Highway, which was caused by a lightning storm. Power supply was restored to the affected areas between 3:16 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. yesterday.

BEL thanks customers for their patience while our employees work diligently to respond to weather-related power outages and restore the system during these interruptions. Customers may call 0-800-BEL-CARE (235-2273) for information regarding power outages.