Planned power shutdown
Hasmukh Patel, Energy Fiji Limited, CEO
We had some technical issues with our Diesel Generators at the Savusavu Power Station towards the end of December, 2018 which affected power supply to our customers in Savusavu. EFL engineers were able to resolve these issues to get the power station fully operational. With the heavy rains due to the inclement weather conditions experienced around the country towards the end of December 2018, a landslide had brought down a Power Pole at Bagaraki Settlement. This caused an unplanned power outage affecting some of our customers from Naqelekula to Uluvalili Settlement. Our teams worked around the clock to straighten the affected power pole and repair the damaged hardware (cross arms) before power supply was restored.
In the month of February, 2019 there were 5 unplanned outages in different parts of Savusavu. Most of these outages were due to transient faults caused by the inclement weather conditions (heavy afternoon downpours) in the surrounding areas. In one incident, power supply was temporarily affected to remove a dead pigeon from the power line in front of Hot Bread Kitchen in Main Street, Savusavu. These works were undertaken from 11:00pm to minimise the impact of the outage on our valued customers. EFL has some 220km of power lines providing power supply to our valued customers in Savusavu. To ensure safety, reliability and security of power supply, we need to carry out regular repairs and maintenance of the power line hardware and clearing of vegetation from around the power lines. In order to ensure the safety of EFL teams and the general public, power supply to the various areas need to be deenergised for the advertised duration of these planned maintenance works.
Due to the adverse weather conditions, we were only able to partially complete maintenance works in the Vakativa to Uluivalili areas around Savusavu in the month of December, 2018. The remaining maintenance works had to be deferred to January and February, 2019 and we have had 8 planned outages for repair and maintenance in the month of January, 2019 to ensure reliability and security of power supply.