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The San Pedro gas turbine of Belize Electric Power Company Limited, which was originally scheduled to be commissioned in mid-June to relieve power demand on the island’s mainline grid, will suffer a setback after experiencing major difficulties. During the energization of the gas turbine, one of the transformers failed and required repairs before it could be commissioned.
In addition to this, despite a recent reduction in power outages and the onset of rains in June, Belize’s electricity supply remains erratic. BEL Chairman Andrew Marshalleck described the situation as “precarious” and pointed to serious problems with the gas turbines in San Pedro as a contributing factor.
Machelek explained that the gas turbine was originally scheduled to be operational in mid-June but has now encountered a major setback. “From what I understand, one of the transformers failed or exploded or something like that when it was energized and that needs to be dealt with, so that’s going to cause us problems,” Machelek told 7 News in Belize City.
Gas turbine station construction could be delayed by months
When asked about the delay, he was unable to provide a specific timeline, emphasizing the complexities involved in procuring and installing the replacement equipment. Our sources indicate this could delay the project by another two to three months.
Power supply is expected to remain erratic throughout June and July. Machelek stressed that the gap between available capacity and system demand is narrow, leaving little room for error. “The potential for problems and shortages is real. That’s what I call instability,” he noted. The Chairman stressed the need to increase capacity to ensure redundancy and prevent supply disruptions if problems arise.
The current approach is to carefully manage the limited capacity and use the reservoirs sparingly. “We have been managing it because we know the water levels in the reservoirs are low. We try not to use the dams to generate electricity. Only when other reservoirs are out of power do we activate the dams, and then the dams can use water,” explained Machelek. Hopefully, by September, with adequate rainfall, the reservoirs will be replenished and the power supply will be stable.
Until then, BEL and its customers face a challenging period that will require careful management and contingency planning to avoid further disruption.
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