Belize and Mexico set up three working groups to coordinate electricity planning

BELMOPAN, Belize. Belize and Mexico have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the electricity sector by exchanging technical information and setting up coordination mechanisms to support energy planning in both countries.

The agreement came out of a working meeting between Mexico's Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), its Ministry of Energy (SENER), its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the CFE Calificados subsidiary, and Belize's Ministry of National Security, Energy and Ports (MNSEP) and Belize Electricity Limited (BEL).

The two sides agreed to establish three working groups: one to strengthen institutional coordination, one to gather the technical information needed to assess planning alternatives, and one to follow up on matters of common interest.

Yucatán links

CFE Director General Emilia Esther Calleja Alor stressed the importance of close coordination between Mexican and Belizean authorities to identify infrastructure needs and assess the current and future condition of both electricity systems.

She also outlined progress on CFE generation and transmission projects on the Yucatán Peninsula, intended to meet growing demand and improve supply in south-eastern Mexico.

Mexico's Undersecretary for Electricity, José Antonio Rojas Nieto, said information on Belize's energy needs and projections would provide the technical basis for analysing planning scenarios.

Belize's Minister of National Security, Energy and Ports, Michel Chebat, emphasised the importance of continuing dialogue with Mexican authorities and sharing experience and technical knowledge, particularly in electricity planning and the development of photovoltaic generation projects.

Both sides said they would continue to work together through dialogue and technical cooperation.