Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is the primary distributor of

electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as describ ...

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

, Central America. Aggregate energy sold was approximately 588.4 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2019, up from 554.4 GWh in 2018. The Company served a customer base of over 100,000 accounts, an increase of over 1100 accounts in 2018, with a peak power demand of approximately 105.6 megawatts (MW) during the year. BEL’s national electricity grid connects all major municipalities (load centers), except for Caye Caulker, with approximately 1,900 miles of transmission and primary distribution lines. Caye Caulker is server by an off-grid power station. The grid is primarily supplied by local Independent Power Producers (IPP) utilizing

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined a ...

, biomass, petroleum and

solar energy Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture. It is an ...

sources, and is secured and stabilized by the interconnection with Mexico. BEL also operates a

gas turbine A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the directio ...

plant as a standby plant for energy security and reliability. As of 2019, 58.6% of electrical production was renewable, making Belize the number one renewable energy producer (by percentage produced) in the Caribbean. The

Government of Belize His Majesty's Government in Belize, also referred to as the Belizean Government is the democratic administrative authority of Belize, a constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. It was formed in 1981 after gaining sovereignty from ...

is the largest shareholder in BEL, with direct ownership of 32.6% interest in the Company. The Social Security Board owns 31.2% interest in the Company, so that the public sector interest amounts to 63.8%. Fortis Cayman Inc. owns 33.3%, and over 1,500 small shareholders own the remaining 2.9% interest in ordinary shares.

References

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External links

Belize Electricity Limited

Public Utilities Commission
Electric power companies of North America Energy companies established in 1950 1950 establishments in British Honduras Electric power in Belize