A tree falling on the 132kV transmission line connecting the Wailoa Power Station to the Cunningham Road Zone Substation caused a significant power outage in Fiji’s Central Division this afternoon. Hasmukh Patel, the chief executive of Energy Fiji Limited, reported that the incident occurred when someone was cutting a tree in Waibau, which accidentally fell onto the high-voltage line. This disrupted the flow of electricity from the Wailoa Hydro Electric Power Station to the substation in Suva.
Patel stated that teams are currently en route to clear the fallen tree from the transmission line to allow for re-energization. He noted that while efforts are underway to restore power to affected areas using the Kinoya Power Station, it will take some time to fully restore electricity throughout the Central Division.
He urged the public to treat all power lines as live and to maintain a safe distance, as power lines can become electrified unexpectedly. Patel issued an apology for the unplanned outage and the inconvenience it has caused, emphasizing that the situation is beyond their control and requesting the understanding and cooperation of their customers.