FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Majuro, Marshall Islands – This article aims to clarify the reasons behind the unexpected power outages that occurred on July 19th and 20th, 2024, impacting Feeder 1 (F1) from the power plant to Laura. These outages were caused by various issues within the distribution network, resulting in disruptions to electricity supply for residents and businesses in the affected areas.
The outages began on the evening of 7/19/23 when a burnt overhead cable line near Power Station 1 caused the initial problem. MEC promptly addressed the issue by repairing the damaged cable. However, subsequent attempts to restore power to F1 resulted in two tripping incidents, indicating more underlying issues in the distribution system.
MEC’s distribution team worked diligently that night, even in rainy conditions, to investigate and identify additional fault sources. During their inspection, they found trees and branches touching overhead power lines in various locations, including near the late President Amata Kabua’s residence, Rubar, and the US Embassy. Immediate tree trimming was carried out and completed by 1:35 AM.
Despite these efforts, F1 continued to experience tripping incidents, primarily from the airport to Laura. MEC technicians and distribution crews conducted detailed checks and replaced relays at the Airport Vacuum Circuit Breaker (VCB) to restore power. However, the issue persisted, prompting further investigations.
To address the ongoing challenges, the Distribution team decided to bypass all transformers between the airport VCB and Laura. Power was successfully restored by 4:30 AM. Subsequently, at approximately 8:20 AM on Saturday (7/20), F1 tripped once more. Power was restored from the airport VCB to the switch station at Jitni at approximately 10:30 AM. When the Jitni switch was energized at 12:40 PM to extend power to Laura, F1 tripped again to the airport VCB. Distribution continued its intensive efforts to pinpoint the cause of the feeder tripping.
Power was restored on F1 by 6 PM, reaching the end of Laura. However, some transformers in the Ajeltake area were still opened or bypassed at that time. The remaining opened or bypassed transformers in Ajeltake were closed at approximately 8:30 PM, but F1 tripped again back to the airport soon after. After meticulous investigations and troubleshooting efforts, it was discovered that the recurring issue with F1 tripping originated from faulty transformers near the late Tom Kijiner’s place and the Mormon Church in Ajeltake.
The transformers were reopened, and power was reinstated by 9:10 PM. At present, power from the airport to the end of Laura remains on, with the transformer at the Mormon Church already energized. Work is still ongoing as of today July 22, 2024, to replace the damaged transformer near Tom Kijiner’s area.
The process of identifying the key areas causing the feeder outages took approximately two days, highlighting the complexities involved in diagnosing faults within MEC’s distribution network. Recognizing the need for improvement, MEC has launched a project to upgrade its outdated distribution protection system.
MEC’s Distribution Protection System Upgrade Project, tendered on March 18th, 2024, aims to minimize faults, enhance fault location capability, increase reliability, and ensure the network is prepared for the integration of renewable energy sources. The project, which involves the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of the new system, will also modernize the existing protection relays and prevent faults from propagating to the power plant stations, which have caused blackouts. Furthermore, by implementing this upgrade, MEC aims to reduce outages, improve fault detection and response time, and enhance the overall resilience of the electrical supply against natural disasters.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the unplanned power outages in Majuro over the weekend. We are committed to providing a reliable electricity supply to our customers,” stated Jack Chong-Gum, CEO of MEC. “The distribution protection system upgrade project will significantly improve our fault locating capability, enabling us to respond swiftly to any future incidents and increase the reliability of our services.”
He added, “I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated Distribution crew for their tireless efforts over the last two nights in working to restore power swiftly and effectively. Your hard work and commitment are truly appreciated, and it is commendable how you persevered in challenging conditions to ensure the continuity of essential services for our community.”
MEC is dedicated to promptly resolving these issues and ensuring a more resilient and reliable electricity supply for the people of Majuro. Updates on the progress of the distribution protection system upgrade project will be provided in due course.
The Distribution Protection System Upgrade Project is supported by grant funds from the Asian Development Bank.
