PUC deplores vandalism on its substation at Perseverance |01 February 2022
The equipment inside the substation
The Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) has deplored an act of vandalism on one of its electricity substations at Ile Perseverance which caused a power cut in parts of the area.
Ravin Sunassee, the managing director for electricity, said that the substation number 9 had its door and padlock broken and the electricity switch opened preventing the flow of current.
He explained that there as 18 substations on Ile Perseverance which are all linked together and the vandalism action prevented 8 other substations, among them, to supply electricity.
Among the areas without electricity were a part of the residential area, the Family Hospital, the courts at the Palais de Justice and some businesses.
“Luckily, the Family Hospital has a backup generator. Imagine what could have happened if it was not working also. Patients at the hospital could have lost their lives,” said Mr Sunassee, who noted that the vandalism action was a big threat to human lives and property.
He noted that the person or persons tampering with the handles and switch gear at the station were also in great danger of losing their own lives.
He said that PUC has safety procedures and protocols in place for personnel who have to enter the substations and to work.
Mr Sunassee said that PUC was able to restore electricity in the area but had left the substation number 9 intact for the police to conduct their forensic investigation.
He added that PUC will after cordon the station to repair the damage.
He further added that as a further measure of protection, they will ask the police for assistance with more patrols in the areas where the substations are located.
Speaking about the incident, Mr Sunassee explained that they found it odd at first that everything was running fine at the main substation visited for inspection, until later after inspecting all other stations one by one to discover the act of vandalism at substation number 9 which had caused the power cut.
He further explained the vandalism act must have happened at around 11am yesterday morning following reports of non availability of electricity in the affected area.
He said that PUC has recorded break-ins at its substations at Ile Perseverance in the past but it is the first time that the switch in one of its stations has been opened.
He added that people have opened ABI-air break isolator switches on electricity poles on the island but that is also dangerous.
He warned people to refrain from tampering with the electricity gears on the poles or in the substations as they carry 11,000 volts of electricity, a danger to human lives.
According to assistant superintendent (ASP) Marcus Jean, regional commander for the Northern region, they reacted quickly to the call by PUC for assistance.
He stated that the person or persons found to be responsible for breaking and damaging property will be charged.
He noted that the sentence for breaking with the intention to damage property carries a minimum fifteen years in prison while for damaging property carries a minimum three years in prison.
He warned people involved in this kind of action to refrain from doing so as they will be dealt accordingly.
Patrick Joubert
Photos by Joena Meme
