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Natural disasters affect the entire grid: Patel

April 23, 2018 7:00 pm

Energy Fiji Limited chief executive, Hasmukh Patel, says during any natural disaster the entire electricity grid gets affected.

Patel says this is why once a Cyclone passes – the EFL has to carry out a huge exercise to restore power.

He says the engineers have to take a very systematic approach while restoring power.

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“Safety is paramount and before we energize any power line – we need to ensure that the power line is intact, it is not unsafe, it is not lying on the ground broken which can end-up in an absolutely hazardous situation and even death – so, therefore, we have to inspect each piece of power line throughout the country.”

Patel says EFL has completed over 99 percent of power restoration following TC Josie and TC Keni and over a few areas are still left out due to inaccessibility.