Thursday August 11, 2011

Equipment theft at Tuaran substation causes blackout

KOTA KINABALU: More than 1,200 people in Tuaran district suffered a blackout for several hours after thieves stole almost all the equipment of a substation here.

Also affected was a five-star resort located about 30km from here.

Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd general manager for corporate services Wan Maria Othman Lee said the theft on Saturday had cost the utility firm RM110,000 in losses.

“Our technical crew swung into action and power was restored in stages from about 3.18pm on the same day,” she said yesterday.

The incident was the latest in theft and vandalism of electrical infrastructure resulting in blackouts.

On July 19, several thousand consumers in Tuaran and Sepanggar near here had to endure several hours of blackout after vandals burnt underground electricity cables near Kampung Malawa in Sepanggar.