Utilities of Belize

utilities2

Power

Belize Electricity (BEL) is the main distributor of electricity, though it does not generate its own power. In 2011 BEL was nationalised when the government acquired 70 per cent of the shares in BEL, which it purchased from the Canadian-based Fortis Group.

BEL buys most of its electricity from the Belize Electric Company Ltd (operator of the Chalillo, Mollejon and Vaca hydroelectric facilities in Western Belize) and Hydro Maya in Southern Belize. The country is also connected to Mexico’s national grid and purchases power from Comisión Federal de Electricidad, the Mexican state-owned electricity company. Belize Cogeneration Energy, a renewable energy supplier that turns sugarcane fibre into biomass and supplies power to the national grid for BEL, as well as selling electricity directly to Belize Sugar Industries.

 

Water

Water is managed by Belize Water Services (BWS), in which the government is the main shareholder. The supply of water was privatised in 2001 when shares in BWS were made publicly available, with British–Dutch company Cascal initially buying 83 per cent of the shares before the government bought them back. It is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission.

 

Telecoms

Mobile phone coverage is good in most areas, especially on the coast and along the main routes to Mexico and Guatemala. There are 78 main telephone lines and 506 mobile phone subscriptions per 1,000 people (2012).

In 2009, the government acquired the majority of shares in Belize Telemedia, the main supplier of landline, mobile and internet services. The remaining shares are owned by just under 1,000 small shareholders. There are a few privately owned operators in the sector, such as Speednet, which offers mobile, landline and internet services. In 2013, the Public Utilities Commission hosted a forum on internet usage, aimed at improving internet speeds and connectivity. Internet service providers were invited to the event, which suggests that there could be more opportunities in ICT in the future.

There are 153 personal computers per 1,000 people (2007).