“This is simply a time for consumers to repay B.E.L.” – John Avery

John Avery

The commission, in its decision, has approved a Mean Electricity Rate of point four-two cents per kilowatt hour.  According to Avery, BEL has had to incur an increase in the cost of purchasing energy from Mexico and therefore is simply looking to recoup its funds.

John Avery, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission

“We expect prices to be higher over the next twelve months; however, we intend to put several things in place to try to mitigate those higher prices.  So hopefully at the next ARP [Annual Review Proceedings] we can see some relief.  B.E.L. is a company with private shareholders and investors and in fact the people of Belize are invested in B.E.L. and the law requires that B.E.L. be allowed to recover its cost.  Now, like I said, B.E.L. could have performed better, however, given our past experience it is not advisable for the commission after something has happened, to penalize the utility, unless they were forewarned.  The thing is, that is the cost of power.  At the time when people were consuming the power, B.E.L. had to use its own resources to pay for it because it wasn’t recovering that through the rates.  So the thing is, B.E.L. in effect has been subsidizing consumers for the last eighteen months.  This is simply a time for consumers to repay B.E.L.”