Widespread power outages have struck Viti Levu after storm damage to key transmission infrastructure linked to Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) said, as crews work to restore supply island-wide.
EFL confirmed a fault on the 132kV transmission line between Wailoa and Cunningham triggered a major outage on Tuesday night. While the utility has re-energised the 132kV line from Wailoa to Vuda, damage to several downstream 33kV circuits means many communities remain without reliable supply as distribution crews move through affected areas to assess and repair lines.
Chief Executive Officer Fatiaki Gibson said repair teams located the fault late on Tuesday and were deployed early Wednesday to begin restoration work. “We acknowledge that a significant number of our customers are impacted due to extensive damages to the EFL power network, and we want to assure the public that our teams are working systematically to carry out repairs,” Mr Gibson said, stressing that safety remains the highest priority while multiple teams operate across the network.
EFL expects the immediate transmission repairs to be completed by Thursday, but warned that restoring supply to all affected neighbourhoods will depend on the extent of damage to distribution circuits and access conditions. Inspection and repair work on the 33kV circuits is ongoing; until those circuits are secured, some areas will continue to experience outages or reduced service.
To manage constrained supply, EFL has implemented temporary power rationing in the Central Division and other impacted locations. The utility said customers in rationed areas should expect planned outages of about two to three hours while crews isolate and repair faults and shift available generation to prioritised loads. EFL also acknowledged support from commercial and industrial customers operating backup generators, which has helped ease immediate pressure on the national grid.
Repair operations face the typical logistical and safety challenges that follow storm damage, including downed lines, damaged poles and access impeded by adverse weather conditions. Mr Gibson said crews are coordinating work across transmission and distribution teams and will issue further updates, including a tentative restoration timeline for remaining customers, as assessments are completed and repairs progress.
This is the latest development in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Vaianu’s impact on utility infrastructure. EFL urged customers to monitor official channels for staged restoration notices and to treat any downed power lines as dangerous, while it continues recovery efforts across Viti Levu.
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