STELCO says Hulhumale' Phase II outage caused by damage to main cable during excavation

STELCO says a major power outage affecting several towers in Hulhumale' Phase II on Sunday was caused by damage to one of the main cables supplying electricity to the area, damage believed to have occurred during excavation work.

Residents began reporting outages in multiple towers on Sunday afternoon. At 15:21, STELCO announced on X that a technical issue had disrupted power to parts of Phase II and that teams were working to identify and resolve the problem.

The affected buildings included several towers in the Vinares and Hiyaa housing complexes.

By 20:00, STELCO said power had been restored to all towers except Hiyaa 2 and Hiyaa 6. However, residents later reported that additional towers had gone dark again.

ހުޅުމާލޭގެ ދެވަނަ ފިޔަވަހީގެ ބައެއް ޓަވަރުތަކުން ކަރަންޓުގެ ޚިދުމަތް މެދުކެނޑެން ދިމާވީ، ދެވަނަ ފިޔަވައްސަށް ކަރަންޓު ފޯރުކޮށްދިނުމަށް އަޅާފައިވާ މައި ހަތަރު ކޭބަލްގެ ތެރެއިން އެއް ކޭބަލަށް ގެއްލުންވުމާ ގުޅިގެން. ބެލެވޭ ގޮތުގައި މި ކޭބަލަށް ގެއްލުން ލިބިފައިވަނީ ކޮނުމުގެ…

— STELCO (@STELCOMALDIVES) April 12, 2026

According to STELCO, the outage occurred after one of the four main cables supplying electricity to Phase II was damaged. The company said the cable is believed to have been struck during excavation.

“Due to the electricity demand and load of Phase II, supplying full power through the remaining three cables has been challenging,” STELCO said.

Technical teams are now working to redistribute the load across the remaining cables to restore electricity to all affected buildings. STELCO has not provided a timeline for full restoration.

Hulhumale' Phase II is a densely populated area with thousands of families still moving in, and residents have repeatedly raised concerns about delays and gaps in essential services.