PUC needs R125m for new power project in north Mahé |26 July 2014

In order to address the problem of frequent power cuts in the long term in the northern region of Mahé, the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) will need to make an investment of some R125 million.

This will entail installing a 33,000 volt capacity cable from Victoria to Beau Vallon and a substation to redistribute power in the region, the Minister for Environment and Energy Rolph Payet has said.

Minister Payet said this in the National Assembly on Tuesday when answering a question by elected member for Anse Etoile Melval Dugasse.
The question was asked in his absence by elected member for Bel Ombre Galen Bresson.

Mr Dugasse wanted Minister Payet to explain what the PUC is planning to do to address the issue of frequent power cuts in the Anse Etoile region.

But Minister Payet informed Assembly members that in order to reduce these power cuts in the short term the PUC is installing new circular power lines in phases in the north Mahé region. Four weeks ago the corporation installed a new power line from its substation at Ile Perseverance providing electricity to consumers in the Anse Etoile, Maldives, Sorento, Glacis, Mare Anglaise and Beau Vallon areas. Meanwhile work is ongoing to install another power line from the same substation to provide electricity to consumers at La Retraite, North East Point and Machabée.

“The PUC’s plan is to continue installing power lines to reach a maximum of six to provide electricity to the North Mahé region where there are at present four power lines,” Minister Payet informed Assembly members.

Minister Payet also pointed out that the fifth new power line will cost the PUC some R4.6 million while the sixth power line is estimated to cost R2.6 million. Both installations are expected to be completed in September this year.

“Once these power lines would be operational, the PUC expects that electricity supplies would be greatly improved and would reduce power overload and outages,” he said.

Minister Payet further explained that until four weeks ago the PUC was supplying electricity to the north east Mahé region through one power line from Huteau Lane through Union Vale. But the line unfortunately had become overloaded and there was no possibility to transfer electricity through other lines in this region, thus resulting in power cuts which affected several areas in the north each time a fault was recorded on the line.

Minister Payet gave several reasons for the power cuts among them; five technical faults recorded from January to June, three vehicular accidents resulting  in damages to electricity poles and other installation, two cases where tree branches have accidentally fallen onto electricity lines during felling, two cases where birds have caused short circuits and three cases of lightning.

Minister Payet informed the Assembly that these statistics clearly illustrate that PUC is not always to be blamed for the power cuts.
“People need to understand that and also that the PUC puts a lot of effort  to reduce power outages as much as possible but unfortunately it is not always in its capacity to ensure power on a 24hour basis,” Minister Payet stressed.