P.U.C. consultant recommends higher electricity rates

The consultant hired to review the Public Utilities Commission’s initial decision on electricity rates has submitted his report… and it looks like consumers will be feeling the pinch. Dennis Colenutt, having considered submissions by the P.U.C. and Belize Electricity Limited, has recommended a mean electricity rate of thirty-nine point three cents per kilowatt-hour. This figure is one point four cents higher than the rate approved by the P.U.C. in its Full Tariff Review Proceeding, F.T.R.P., and only point seven cents below the forty cents requested by B.E.L. The present mean electricity rate now paid by consumers is approximately thirty-five cents. The Colenutt report will be available on the P.U.C.’s website, www.puc.bz, as of Wednesday afternoon and interested parties representing over ten percent of all electricity sold in 2004 have until July seventh to submit comments. The procedure allowing for the appointment of an independent consultant is part of the F.T.R.P. process used in determining rates for all of Belize’s utility providers.