EPC to identify cause of power outage

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 04 APRIL, 2022: The Electric Power Corporation staff is currently working to identify the cause of the major power outage that cut off electricity for more than an hour to residents from Aleisa West, Tuanaimato, Siusega and to as far as Fasitoo uta on the west of Apia.

EPC Chief Executive Officer, Faumui Tauiliili Toimoana told Talamua that EPC workers have yet to find out report back to him on this.

“It’s uncertain whether it’s the lightning strike or something else but the workers are currently out and about to locate the real cause of this and have yet to report back,” he said.

The outage had been coupled with a heavy downpour and residents in the affected area (see map) report the power cut moments after a lightning struck in the afternoon today.

EPC had a map available online showing the affected areas but had been affected by unreliable internet connections that had been down at times during the day.

Infact, the Prime Ministers was supposed to give a public update at 4.00 pm of the Covid lockdown and the Government’s decision whether to extend or relax the Alert levels.

However, this was postponed to 8.00pm tonight due to issues with internet connection according to the Government Press Secretariat.

By 5pm today, EPC posted updates on Facebook when electricity supply was restored at Malie, Ululoloa, Seesee to Levi and Moamoa. Supply was restored to villages such as Leauvaa and Saleimoa and going westwards by 6.30pm.

According to Faumui, the power outage has nothing to do with what members of the public experienced with intermittent internet services today.

“Power outage and internet connections are two different things,” he said.