Nationwide Power Failure in Sri Lanka
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Synopsis
On February 9, Sri Lankan officials announced efforts to restore power after a nationwide outage caused by an incident at the Panadura grid substation. The outage began at 11:30 a.m. and lasted for over three hours, with reports indicating animal interference as a contributing factor.
Key Takeaways
- Power outage began at 11:30 a.m. local time.
- CEB is working to restore electricity.
- Incident caused by monkeys damaging the transformer.
- Public advised to conserve water.
- Sri Lanka has faced previous outages.
Colombo, February 9 (NationPress) Authorities in Sri Lanka are making efforts to restore electricity after a nationwide power outage that took place on Sunday, as reported by the state-owned power producer and distributor, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
The outage originated from an emergency situation at the Panadura grid substation located in the Western Province, according to CEB.
The electricity failure commenced around 11:30 a.m. local time and lasted for over three hours, with officials diligently working to reinstate full service, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
CEB Chairman Tilak Siyambalapitiya reassured the populace that swift actions are being taken to restore power. Additionally, Professor Udayanga Hemapala, Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, confirmed that the outage resulted from an imbalance within the national grid.
Local media reported, citing Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, that the outage was instigated by a group of monkeys that entered the substation, causing damage; the animals came into contact with the grid transformer, resulting in a system imbalance.
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board has advised the public to conserve water until power is fully restored.
Sri Lanka has faced numerous nationwide power outages in recent years linked to substation issues.
“Engineers are addressing the situation to restore service as quickly as possible,” stated Minister Jayakody.
The CEB expressed, “We are exerting all efforts to resolve the island-wide power failure promptly.”
While some areas have had power restored, it remains uncertain how much longer the outage will continue.
Hospitals and businesses throughout the island nation, home to 22 million residents, have been relying on generators or inverters.
During the summer of 2022, Sri Lankans faced months of electricity blackouts amid an economic crisis.
Fuel stations exhausted their supplies of petrol and diesel, necessitating thermal power stations to ration electricity to 13 hours daily.
The 2023 Sri Lankan blackouts occurred on December 9, 2023, beginning around 5 p.m. local time and lasting over three hours. These nationwide blackouts were attributed to a systematic failure in the main supply chain and the breakdown of the Kotmale Biyagama transmission line.
Sri Lanka also experienced a nationwide power failure in 2016.
