A significant power outage affected the Central Division yesterday after a tree fell on Energy Fiji Ltd’s (EFL) 132,000-volt transmission line in Waibau. EFL’s chief executive officer, Hasmukh Patel, reported that the disruption happened around 2:28 PM.
Patel stated that the incident was caused by someone cutting a tree in Waibau, which accidentally toppled onto the transmission line. This incident interrupted the power supply flow from the Wailoa Hydro Electric Power Station to the Cunningham Road Zone Substation in Suva.
Teams were dispatched to remove the tree from the transmission line, allowing for the line to be re-energized. While efforts were underway to restore power to the affected areas using the Kinoya Power Station, Patel indicated that it would take time to fully restore power to the Central Division.
The public has been advised to stay away from all power lines. EFL issued an apology for the unexpected disruption and the inconvenience caused, emphasizing that the situation was beyond their control and requesting the cooperation and understanding of their customers.