By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño says the 20 megawatts of temporary generating capacity being installed at BEL’s Westlake facility is an expensive but necessary short-term measure while Belize moves to bring additional domestic renewable energy online.
Briceño said the generators are expected to remain in Belize for about six months and will primarily be used when electricity imported from Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) is unavailable or when domestic generation is insufficient.
BEL has confirmed that the Westlake facility will provide 20 MW once fully commissioned. The company said the units were already operating at about 40 percent capacity over the weekend and helped Belize avoid load shedding when supply from Mexico was interrupted.
Briceño said BEL is also negotiating with local and international investors and hopes approximately 14 MW of additional solar generation could be available around December or January, although he cautioned that the timeline could change.
He said additional solar and battery projects are expected in the years ahead, including a project of at least 16 MW, and cited BEL Executive Chairman Lynn Young as projecting that increased reliance on cheaper domestic generation could eventually save BEL as much as $27 million.
BEL already has a power purchase agreement for a 15 MW utility-scale solar facility at Buena Vista, Corozal, which will include battery storage.
The Prime Minister said the long-term objective is to put BEL in a stronger financial position and eventually bring electricity prices down for consumers.
The post Temporary Westlake 20MW generators only a stopgap as Belize pushes new solar projects, PM says appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño says the 20 megawatts of temporary generating capacity being installed at BEL’s Westlake facility is an expensive but necessary short-term measure while Belize moves to bring additional domestic renewable energy online. Briceño said the generators are expected to remain in Belize for about six months and
The post Temporary Westlake 20MW generators only a stopgap as Belize pushes new solar projects, PM says appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.