By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 8: An unexpected power interruption occurred yesterday (April 7) around 2.21am in the Oya, Salim, and Deshon areas in Sibu when a seven-foot-long snake intruded onto the switchgear at the Oya 275kV Substation.
According to a press release issued today by Sarawak Energy Berhad (Sarawak Energy), its operations arm Syarikat Sesco Berhad’s (Sesco) technical team had removed the carcass, performed a thorough inspection to ensure safety, and restored supply to the affected customers by 4.43am with no further incidents.
Sarawak Energy’s Transmission Substations senior manager, Sia Chiu Tiing, thanked the public for their patience and understanding during the incident.
“Upon receiving the report, we immediately dispatched our technical team to the site to investigate and initiate supply restoration works.
“Given the high voltage nature of our facilities, comprehensive precautions are necessary to ensure safety and prevent equipment damage,” Sia was quoted as saying in the press release.
Sarawak Energy also stated that it is actively looking into solutions to reduce such incidents, such as installing anti-animal climbing guards and conducting regular patrols of overhead lines in areas with a high wildlife presence.
The press release additionally noted that Sesco is committed to maintaining the condition of its electricity infrastructure and equipment, as well as conducting timely scheduled maintenance work to ensure a continuous and reliable power supply for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive seasons.
“However, ensuring a reliable supply across the state poses challenges, as Sarawak’s transmission and distribution power lines run a great distance alongside or through forests, farms and plantations. This has brought about unique challenges caused by wildlife,” read the press release.
For any queries or wildlife sightings on Sarawak Energy’s facilities, customers can call its 24/7 Customer Care Centre at 1300-88-3111, email customercare@sarawakenergy.com or chat with the virtual agent Carina.
Alternatively, customers can also reach the utility provider through Sarawak Energy’s mobile application, SEB Cares, which can be downloaded via the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. — DayakDaily
