Apia, SAMOA — The third recent power outage on the main island of Upolu was triggered while linesmen were carrying out clearance work on Tuesday.

Power supplies to residents and businesses were disrupted throughout Monday and Tuesday as workers cleared up debris that caused extensive damage to power lines and electrical infrastructure. 

In a notice on its Facebook page, the Electric Power Corporation (EPC) notified the public about a total power outage around 4 pm on Tuesday affecting the entire island of Upolu. 

“Our teams are actively working to resolve the situation across all affected areas.” It could not be verified as the cause of the nationwide blackout." 

The Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Vaai said safety was the priority for the corporation. 

Linesmen have been working around the clock to restore power in various communities and before they could commence work the workers started with clearance of large fallen trees.  

There were times when the corporation had to turn off the power supply in certain areas to enable workers to clear the way for their restoration work. 

Members of the public have voiced concerns about the inconsistency in power supplies while others understood the circumstances and weather conditions that damaged powerlines.

Last month the island of Upolu encountered two blackouts attributed to technical faults with the Fiaga generator that went offline and issues with the underground cable that distributes electricity to the island. 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, it was after 8.30 pm and the main Beach Road was still without power.

Read more at The Observer