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Canadian power company gets failing grade from Belizeans by Probe International The following text excludes some non-indexable words. For the full text, please register. PRESS RELEASE  Fortis monopoly fails deliver low-cost power, environmental compliance. At today's annual meeting St. John's, Newfoundland, Canadian power giant, Fortis, will inform shareholders its record earnings 2005 its operations Belize, Central America. Belizean environmentalists community leaders, meanwhile, gathered yesterday protest company's rate hikes – two since last summer – its failure comply with an environmental agreement signed with government Belize 2002.  According Candy Gonzalez, Vice President Belize Institute Environmental Law Policy, "Fortis/BECOL has not met its legal obligations constructing Chalillo dam providing health safety people, river, environment." Fortis completed widely opposed Chalillo dam on Macal River last November, after protracted legal battle with environmental groups. In its report card released today, Belize Institute Environmental Law Policy gives Fortis failing grade on: "We believe Fortis has inflated its profitability evading its environmental responsibilities overcharging customers," says Gonzalez, an organizer yesterday's riverside rally one 12,000 people living downstream 12-storey high Chalillo dam. "We want an honest review company's costs profits, safety its hydro operations." Belizeans pay Fortis staggering 22 US cents per kilowatt-hour electricity, which nearly double, even triple, cost most Canadians pay their electricity service.  in Belize against Fortis' rate hikes plans for third dam on Macal River. T-shirt reads (English on back, Creole on front): Bills go up River go bad BEL/Fortis – Stop Lies No Vaca Dam Damn Dams Fortis blames its high costs on rising fuel prices even though half country's power supply now comes two hydro dams, owned BECOL, subsidiary Fortis. "Fortis shareholders should insist upon an open impartial review ensure Belizean ratepayers are not being gouged," says Grainne Ryder, Policy Director Probe International. "Fortis' failure procure competitively priced power less-than-transparent relationship between its two subsidiaries warrants regulatory scrutiny." Fortis majority owner Belize Electricity, country's monopoly buyer distributor electricity nearly 70,000 customers. Fortis owns Belize Electric Company (BECOL) which operates country's two hydro facilities: Mollejon now Chalillo, which expected double power output Macal River. Prior flooding Chalillo dam, Macal River Valley internationally renowned its Maya ruins abundance rare birds wildlife, including jaguar, tapir, scarlet macaw. For more information photos, CONTACT: Grainne Ryder, Policy Director, Probe International, Toronto, Canada Tel: 416-964-9223, ext. 228 E-mail: GrainneRyder@nextcity.com.
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