BEL Seeks Nearly 14 Percent Electricity Rate Increase for 2026

Electricity customers could be facing higher power bills after Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) submitted an amendment to its previously approved 2025 rate proposal, asking the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase the price consumers pay for electricity.  BEL is requesting an adjustment of the Mean Electricity Rate (MER) by $0.0555 per kilowatt hour, which represents a 13.9 percent increase over the rates already approved under the Annual Review Proceedings (ARP) 2025 Final Decision. The proposed increase would apply for the period January 1 to June 30, 2026, with BEL stating that the adjustment is needed to cover increased costs of supplying energy to Belize.  Under the PUC’s original 2025 decision, electricity rates were set without this additional increase. BEL’s amendment now seeks to raise those existing approved rates by nearly 14 percent.  Monthly electricity bills would increase starting in January 2026.  The added cost would depend on electricity usage, the more power a household or business uses, the more they will pay.  The 13.9% hike would be applied on top of the current rates already being charged under the ARP 2025 decision.  The PUC will review BEL’s request under the Electricity (Tariffs, Fees and Charges) Byelaws and is expected to issue its decision on or before December 15, 2025. Until a ruling is made, the higher rates remain proposed, not approved.