Copyright 7newsbelize
Andrew Marshelleck, Chairman, BEL Board of Directors "The meters are the issue. The meters just measure the use of power there. There's nothing wrong with the technology. The technology is proven and is superior to the technology that exists now. So it's like, introducing a new 2025 car, and everybody's telling you that my 2010 was cheaper to operate. But we know that's not so. It's not. So if your bills are higher, it's more likely because you're using the additional power. We get complaints constantly around those lines. How can I be using additional power? It's my same fridge, my same light, same day. Yes, but the **outside temperature of the day is different**. And when the temperature different, that same fridge uses **more electricity to maintain the same temperature**. You can't gauge it like that. You need to understand what's happening. In fact, BEL is now offering our services where we can go into your House and **audit the use and find the appliance that's, that's drawing the power** measure each of them leave equipment in your house and tell you where it's going." "The use of the smart meters is one of the **building blocks for the rolling out of DG and solar**, which the PUC presses every time it makes a statement. It cannot be done without this infrastructure. This infrastructure is necessary to enable those technologies to be taken advantage of by the system as a whole. This is what will enable you to put rooftop solar on for an appropriate charge or credit, to be given for power flowing one way or the other. These meters will be able to do that kind of thing. That's one of the reasons why the meters are being introduced, but it also has many other features to **manage demand** in that it has an **internet connection**, and **data is relayed back to the data center immediately**, so that we don't have to send anybody to read meters. I don't have to send anybody to cut off your service either, we would be able to do it remote" "From wherever you are. The meters are an **advance in technology**. They are needed given the demands that are placed on the system by consumers. The kind of service you want, This is what is required. There's no doubt about that." "I believe **Belize City was first**. I don't know where it moves to next. We're focusing on the **high use centers** and your high use centers are **Belize City, the middle of the country. And on the islands**."
