Customers across the Western Division are being advised to prepare for possible power disruptions tonight as Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) undertakes urgent emergency repairs at the 132kV Nadarivatu Switching Station after a “hot spot” (fault) was detected.
EFL says an urgent repair is required to prevent a potential catastrophic failure at the switching station, which could result in prolonged power disruption across the Western Division.
It says repair teams reached the Nadarivatu Switching Station at approximately 1pm today after floodwaters subsided, allowing technical assessments and preparations for the maintenance work.
EFL says that to facilitate the repairs, the 132kV transmission line between the Nadarivatu Switching Station and the Vuda Zone Substation will be temporarily switched off.
As a result, the Western Division will not receive electricity supply from the Monasavu and Nadarivatu Hydroelectric Schemes during the maintenance window.
The 132kV Nadarivatu–Vuda transmission line will be isolated from 9 tonight until 6am tomorrow.
The repair work is expected to take approximately nine hours, subject to favourable weather conditions.
EFL says that during this period, electricity supply in the Western Division of Viti Levu will be supported by its thermal generating stations located in Vuda, Nadi, Qeleloa, Sigatoka, Rakiraki, Rarawai, Pineapple Corner and Naikabula, along with the Nabou and Butoni Renewable Power Stations.
It says that the available generation capacity will not be sufficient to meet the full electricity demand in the Western Division.
EFL is also strongly reminding members of the public to treat all power lines as live at all times and to stay well clear of any fallen or damaged lines, as they may become energised without notice.
Customers seeking further information or assistance can contact 132 333 (landline), 5333 (Digicel, Inkk and Vodafone users) or 913 for emergencies, or visit www.efl.com.fj.
