Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) says it expects full restoration of electricity across Viti Levu by Sunday after teams repaired critical transmission lines damaged by Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, which — while not making direct landfall — caused widespread outages across the Western and Central Divisions.
Chief Executive Fatiaki Gibson confirmed crews have repaired and re-energised all affected 33kV transmission lines in the Western Division, restoring supply to most communities there. In the Central Division, a major fault on the Wailoa–Cunningham 132kV transmission line that had forced temporary power rationing has been repaired, tested and brought back online, removing the need for continued rolling outages.
Gibson said restoration work has proceeded “around the clock” under strict safety protocols. Every section of the overhead network is being inspected and confirmed safe before re-energisation, he added, and priority has been given to vital services including hospitals, water and sewerage systems, business centres and residential areas. EFL also apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their patience.
With the principal transmission faults cleared, EFL said most parts of Viti Levu now have power and the remaining disconnected customers will be progressively reconnected over the coming days. The utility qualified the expectation of island-wide restoration by Sunday with the usual caveats: “weather permitting and subject to site accessibility,” Mr Gibson said, noting crews cannot safely reach some locations while floodwaters remain high.
EFL acknowledged that a minority of communities in flood-affected areas may face longer delays before reconnection, as works in those locations require both access and additional safety assessments. The company did not provide a specific number of remaining customers still without power but said teams are coordinating with emergency services to prioritise the most vulnerable.
The restoration represents a significant step in recovery after Vaianu’s impact on the island’s overhead network. While the cyclone did not make landfall, strong winds and flooding caused multiple line breaks and damaged poles across both divisions, prompting the temporary rationing measures that were imposed while the Wailoa–Cunningham line was out of service.
EFL reassured customers that repaired lines have been tested before being put back into service and that further inspections will continue as crews work to stabilise the network. The utility urged the public to continue exercising caution around downed power lines and to report outages and hazards through its established customer channels.
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