On Sunday, November 2nd, San Pedro businesses and residents experienced a major power outage that lasted approximately four hours, from 6:23 PM to just after 10:25 PM. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) confirmed that the unplanned blackout affected the entire island.
According to BEL, the interruption was caused by a hardware fault in the overhead portion of the 34.5kV sub-transmission line supplying power to San Pedro. This line connects the island to the national grid. It consists of three sections: the submarine cable interconnection from Maskall to San Pedro, an underground segment on the island, and an overhead portion leading to the San Pedro Substation. Because the San Pedro gas turbine feeds into the same line, BEL could not use it to power the island while repairs were underway temporarily.
BEL added that crews encountered inclement weather during restoration, which caused delays in completing repairs. Despite the challenges, the utility said its San Pedro team and supporting personnel “responded swiftly, regardless of the weather conditions, to ensure that power was restored as quickly and as safely as possible.” The company thanked customers for their patience and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering “safe, reliable, and sustainable energy services.”
This latest incident follows other power disruptions experienced in San Pedro this year, including a September outage attributed to supply issues in Mexico and a May blackout caused by transformer failures. These recurring events highlight concerns about the island’s energy resilience and its reliance on a single transmission line connecting it to the mainland grid.
To strengthen reliability, BEL has announced plans to install a second submarine transmission cable to San Pedro. The new 34.5kV line will provide an additional dedicated route between the island and the national grid, reducing the risk of widespread outages caused by faults on the existing system. BEL has stated that the project is part of its long-term energy security strategy and is intended to support San Pedro’s rapid growth, the tourism sector, and increasing energy demands.
Local establishments felt the impact immediately. The owner of Black and White Garifuna Restaurant shared, “Not only was the weather bad, but with no power, we had to make it work for our guests. We are lucky because we have outdoor dining that’s covered. However, our staff had to use flashlights to accommodate customers who still came out for the food, drums, and dances.” In contrast, Island Jungle, another open-air venue, reported very few customers during the outage.
As residents and businesses continue to call for strengthened energy reliability, the community awaits further updates from BEL regarding timelines and implementation of its planned infrastructure upgrades.
