STELCO has issued a renewed appeal to contractors and individuals to report any damage caused to power cables during road excavation immediately rather than attempting to conceal it. This follows a power outage yesterday afternoon affecting several residential towers in Hulhumalé Phase II, including Hiyaa and Vinares towers. Power was restored late last night to Hiyaa Towers 5, 6, and 7, ten Vinares towers, Amaan Dhoodhi Towers 12 through 16, and Amaan Udhares Towers 5 and 6.

In a statement released last night, STELCO explained that the disruption was caused by damage to a main electricity cable. While technical teams have successfully restored service to all affected areas, the company highlighted a concerning pattern of negligence.

The utility provider noted that this cable was damaged due to the negligence of a party performing roadwork in Phase II. Notably, on April 12, a similar incident occurred, and during the fault detection process for that case, they discovered that the cable had been damaged previously at a different location. Instead of reporting it, those responsible had wrapped the cable in tape to hide the damage.

STELCO expressed deep regret over such irresponsible actions, noting that they cause significant hardship to citizens, disrupt essential services, and impact daily life. Following the latest incident, STELCO held a high-level meeting with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), which manages the infrastructure in Phase II, to discuss long-term solutions to prevent such disruptions.

The utility company emphasized that cables are buried according to international standards, complete with warning tapes and protective sheets to signal their presence. They stressed that if a cable is hit or damaged, it must be reported to STELCO immediately to ensure proper repairs and prevent future outages.

Furthermore, they stated it is crucial to obtain the necessary permits and consult underground network maps before digging to ensure safety and service continuity. STELCO repeatedly urged private individuals, companies, and project contractors to be more responsible to avoid penalizing the public through avoidable service interruptions.