STELCO urges public to protect underground cables after eight‑hour Hulhumale' Phase II outage

STELCO has urged the public and contractors to take extra care when carrying out road excavation and construction work, after a damaged underground cable caused an eight‑hour power outage in Hulhumale' Phase II on Sunday.

The outage began around 3:30pm, initially affecting eight Hiyaa towers and several Vinares towers. Residents later reported that additional towers lost power as the problem escalated. Electricity was fully restored at 11:30pm, according to STELCO.

In a statement on Monday evening, STELCO said the disruption occurred after a main cable was damaged during construction work in Phase II. The company stressed the importance of identifying and protecting underground power lines before digging, noting that incidents like Sunday’s cause significant inconvenience to thousands of residents and result in costly damage to the network.

ހުޅުމާލޭ ދެވަނަ ފިޔަވަހީގެ ބައެއް ޓަވަރުތަކުން އާދީއްތަ ދުވަހު ކަރަންޓުގެ ހިދުމަތް މެދުކެނޑެން މެދުވެރިވީ، ދެވަނަ ފިޔަވަހީގައި ބަޔަކު އިމާރާތް ކުރުމުގެ މަސައްކަތް ކުރަމުން ދަނިކޮށް ކަރަންޓު ދިނުމަށް އަޅާފައިވާ މައި ކޭބަލަކަށް ލިބުނު ގެއްލުމަކާ ގުޅިގެން. މަގު ކޮނުމާއި،… pic.twitter.com/m3cyVcxDnX

— STELCO (@STELCOMALDIVES) April 13, 2026

STELCO said it has also held discussions with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to find a long‑term solution to recurring outages in the area.

Hulhumale' Phase II is one of the most densely populated districts in the country, with 24‑storey Hiyaa towers and ongoing construction as more families move in. Cable damage during excavation has caused outages in the past, and residents continue to raise concerns about the adequacy of essential services in the rapidly growing neighbourhood.