Mexican power should return by Friday
It looks like things will be touch and go for B.E.L., at least until the end of the week. That’s when Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission says its big plant in Merida will be back in operation and able to sell Belize much needed energy. B.E.L. has been forced to rely on the Mollejon hydro plant and eight diesel units to supply power since last Tuesday when a breakdown caused the Mexican plant, which usually supplies forty percent of our needs, to go off line. The energy crunch has been most serious between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. when consumer use is at its peak. To prevent power outages, big customers like Del Oro in the Stann Creek Valley have been using their own standby generators, while Bowen and Bowen in Ladyville has been using its backup diesels to actually sell current back to B.E.L. after its own production lines close down. B.E.L. has arrangements in place to bring in additional portable generators should demand exceed supply.