Island-wide blackout in Nolhivaranfaru as generator malfunction halts power supply

A generator supplying electricity to Haa Dhaalu atoll Nolhivaranfaru has failed, causing a full power outage on the island.

Island council vice-president Abdul Kareem Abdul Rahman told Sun that the outages began early Tuesday morning and continued intermittently throughout the day, affecting different parts of the island at different times.

He said the issue stems from a malfunction in one of the generators that powers the island. Fenaka has already begun work to resolve the problem.

As of now, the island remains without electricity, with Ramadan in full effect. 

According to Fenaka, Nolhivaranfaru has three gensets installed. The current outage is caused by a fault in the dynamo of one of the gensets.

A dynamo is the component inside a generator that converts mechanical rotation into electrical power. When the dynamo fails, the engine may still run, but it cannot produce electricity, resulting in a blackout.

Fenaka said the timeline for restoring power remains uncertain.

Nolhivaranfaru, home to more than 1,200 people, is powered by two generators with capacities of 800 kW and 400 kW.