On Monday, April 7, 2025, residents and businesses on the island of San Pedro experienced a series of power outages that lasted from 6:35 p.m. on Sunday evening to 4:38 a.m. on Monday morning. These widespread outages were the result of an unusual combination of weather conditions that led to an electrical fault, affecting customers across the island.
The Cause of the Outages
The primary cause of the outages was a mixture of light rain, excessive dust, and salt contamination, which caused what is known as “tracking.” Tracking occurs when contaminants settle on electrical equipment, leading to leakage of electricity from energized components to the ground. This leakage creates faults within the system, which in turn causes power outages.
In San Pedro, the contamination affected substations, equipment, and supporting structures, resulting in the widespread disruption of electrical service. The complex mix of rain, dust, and salt made it challenging to prevent these electrical faults, which led to a significant impact on customers’ power supply.
Efforts to Restore Power
The San Pedro Fire Department played a crucial role in assisting the restoration efforts. Their team helped wash the equipment and structures at the San Pedro Substation to remove the contamination. This cleaning effort was vital in preventing further faults and facilitating a smoother recovery process.
In the coming days, additional washing and maintenance will be conducted across all other affected equipment. While these procedures are necessary to ensure the safety and reliability of the system, some short outages may be required as technicians work to address the contamination.
To help meet the power demand during this period, the San Pedro Gas Turbine was also brought online, providing additional support to the grid. This step was essential in maintaining the power supply while the system was being restored.
Appreciation for Team Efforts
The quick response and hard work of several teams were critical in restoring power to the island. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the San Pedro Fire Department for their timely assistance, as well as to our power line technicians (PLTs), electrical and mechanical technicians, and all supporting staff members. Their dedication and expertise ensured that the power was restored as quickly and safely as possible.
Acknowledgment of Customer Patience
Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to the residents and businesses of San Pedro for their understanding and patience during this challenging time. We understand the inconvenience that power outages can cause and are doing everything possible to prevent future disruptions. We remain committed to providing safe, reliable, and uninterrupted service to all of our valued customers.
As always, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that the electrical grid remains in good working condition. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation as we work toward a more resilient power infrastructure on San Pedro.
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