Generator failure triggers islandwide blackout; probe launched into grid collapse: NSO

Monday, 19 October 2026 05:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Norochcholai’s 810 MW capacity to remain offline for several days as NSO warns of possible supply pressures

The National System Operator (NSO) yesterday said a generator failure triggered an islandwide blackout on Saturday (17), collapsing the country’s national power grid within 30 seconds and prompting an investigation into the sequence of events. The outage occurred at around 11:43 a.m., with the operator noting that a generator’s automatic disconnection under abnormal conditions should not ordinarily cause a complete system collapse.

In a statement issued, it noted that restoration began shortly after the outage, with the main hydroelectric generators reconnected by 12:11 p.m. and the system restarted across four sections. Essential services, including major hospitals, water treatment plants, and airports, had their electricity restored by 3 p.m., while all grid substations were reconnected by 5 p.m., restoring supply to most consumers.

The Norochcholai coal-fired power plant is expected to remain offline for several days, removing 810 MW of capacity from the grid. The NSO stated maximum hydropower generation, supported by prevailing rainfall, and relatively lower demand should help maintain supply with minimal disruption, while an internal investigation examines the cause of the grid collapse.