Power blackouts experienced in the Western and Central Division are because of  lightning.

Hasmukh Patel, chief executive officer of Fiji Electricity Authority, confirmed this to the Fiji Sun yesterday.

Mr Patel said they have teams working around the clock to restore the power supply.

“This is the same problem as Thursday. In the Western Division. There has been a lot of lightning.

“It is raining especially in the hills as well and because of it we have lost our lines,” he said.

Mr Patel had received a report from the Western Division yesterday afternoon.

A team has been arranged to work between Batiri and Lomawai.

A big lightning strike occurred at Martinar in Nadi on Thursday.

“There is a lot of lightning strikes these days and people need to be really careful,” he said.

The blackouts have been happening for the past three days in the Central and Western Division.

“Lightning is a natural phenomenon and if lightning strikes on the transmission line, the lines will go out of operation and the power will go out so we have to reboot the system and it takes a little time,” he said.

Edited by Maraia Vula

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