Belize is advancing its transition to renewable energy with the signing of a major power purchase agreement between Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) and Blair Athol Power Company Limited. The deal paves the way for the construction of a 15-megawatt (MW) utility-scale solar plant with a 1.5MW battery energy storage system in the northern Corozal District. Once completed, the project is expected to help reduce the country’s overall electricity costs.
The agreement was signed in July 2025, and construction is expected to be completed by 2026. Chairman of BEL’s Board of Directors, Andrew Marshalleck, said the initiative marks a significant milestone in the country’s renewable energy agenda. “This is the furthest we have ever reached down the road of actually putting a plant on the ground,” Marshalleck stated. “It’s a 12-month proposition, and by next year we should see a plant on the ground and utility-scale solar being put on the grid.”
He added that the project will have direct economic benefits for the people of Belize. “The price will be lower than several sources that we rely on. When we average it together with those sources, it brings down the overall average cost of power. This is why we say we need to introduce utility-scale solar into the system if we want to maintain prices at where they are—it has a downward pressure on overall costs,” Marshalleck explained.
In addition to this project, the Government of Belize has issued a request for expressions of interest (EOI) for the development of up to 80MW of new solar generation capacity under a public-private partnership model. Prime Minister Honourable John Briceño confirmed that several companies have already expressed interest. “A number of them have shown interest, and after being reviewed, they will be compiled into a smaller group. We want to make sure these companies are able to deliver within one year—80MWs of power into the grid,” Briceño said.
The Prime Minister emphasized that national energy progress requires collaboration between the government and the private sector. “There is so much work left to do, and sometimes it is not just for the government to get it done. Partnerships like these are essential to moving the country forward,” he added.
No announcements have yet been made regarding the signing of additional agreements to develop the proposed 80MW solar energy project. Still, once finalized, these projects could represent an estimated $140 million investment in Belize’s renewable energy sector.
