The REAL TRUTH on Electricity, Mollejon and Chalillo
BEL says the recent blackouts is evidence that Mexican power source in unreliable. But BEL has been connected to Mexico since the start of the 1990's. No reasonable person would do what BEL is doings after getting exemplary service for over 10 years! Unless, its because they want to build Chalillo.
What is more, Mexico has always been able to sell Belize at a cheap rate even agreeing last year to sell BEL more than the 25megawatt (MW) of power agreed under the contract. It is that cheap Mexican rate that is responsible for BEL lowering electricity rates {twice} in the latter part of the 1990s.
The blackouts continue today because BEL did not plan properly to meet the demand over the next few years. Their desire is to build the dam; so they have NOT invested in other more reliable forms of generation to meet our demand especially in the dry season.
Belize's electricity supply is NOT nationally owned. Fortis CONTROLS 68% of BEL and 95% of BECOL/Mollejon. BEL pays Fortis in US dollars for all power purchased from BECOL/Mollejon. Mollejon and Dams are a strain on Belize's foreign exchange.
Fortis earned ONE MILLION DOLLARS in dividends in 2000 from BEL. THANKS TO BELIZEANS.
The SORRY story of Mollejon and Chalillo Dams
Over 100 MILLION BELIZE DOLLARS was spent to build Mollejon, which has ZERO MW of capacity during the dry season. Because the flows of the river are so unpredictable, BEL cannot count on it as a reliable source of capacity; this means BEL has to install more diesels or depend on Mexico to get it through the dry months.
The people of Belize were to own Mollejon after 2036. Fortis announced in Canada that they have a power purchase agreement with BEL from 2001 to 2051. Whatever happened to the 15 years from 2036 and 2051 when Belizeans are to own Mollejon. How can Fortis make the claim that it has a 50-year Power Purchase agreement with BEL? Who really owns Mollejon from 2036 to 2051? The revenue for those 15 years represents about 200 Million Belize dollars to the people of Belize!
Chalillo would flood 12Km of the river in at least two protected areas and will threaten the survival of three endangered species the Tapir, the Scarlet Macaw and the Jaguar
Three separate studies on Chalillo said it would NOT be economically feasible. BEL, one of your own consultants told you that. Explain the sudden change?? BEL has never proven or revealed to its ratepayers how Chalillo will lower rates using REAL figures and projections.
Large tropical dams, LIKE CHALILLO, are contributors to the greenhouse gas effect. On the other hand, bagasse has NO net impact from burning, due to the carbon dioxide it absorbs during its growth.
Chalillo will cost over 55 Million Belize dollars and will only produce about 8MW of capacity sold to BEL at 19 CENTS BELIZE per Kilowatt-hour (KWh). Mexican power costs about 10 cents Belize per KWh and bagasse would cost about 13 cents Belize per KWh
BAGASSE the power that empowers:
In 1990 BEL Renewable Energy Study, development of the TOWER HILL bagasse plant was identified as the best and cheapest renewable energy source to pursue and make Belize self sufficient.
A Tower Hill BAGASSE plant CAN PRODUCE 30MW of power. The first 10MW can come online by 2003. But BEL is dragging their feet in order to build Chalillo and increase Fortis profits. WHO PAYS? BELIZEANS!!
Building the bagasse plant would make Belize's entire sugar industry more competitive and keep over 10,000 Belizeans employed. The Government of Belize should be supporting the sugar industry and not a dam that would enrich a few FOREIGNERS.
Bagasse from the sugar industry is the cheapest power source for Belize. Yet the BSI annual report says that the bagasse plant will not come online until 2004.
Bagasse and other forms of biomass co-generation are the best national source of power for Belize. The Belize Cane Farmers and the BSI employees would own the TOWER Hill Bagasse Electricity Plant.
FORTIS FORGET IT
THE MACAL RIVER IS OURS
DAMN THE DAM
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produced by BACONGO
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