Power restored to some parts of Male’ and Hulhumale’ after one-hour outage

State Electric Company (STELCO) states that it has begun gradually restoring power to parts of Male’ City and Hulhumale’, an hour after a blackout hit the Maldivian capital.

The outage hit the populous Maldivian capital at around 12:00 pm Saturday.

STELCO announced an hour later that power has been restored to some parts of Male’ City and Hulhumale’.

“We are working on restoring power to remaining areas. We apologize for the inconvenience,” said the state utility company in a post on X.

ދިމާވި ޓެކްނިކަލް މައްސަލައަކާއި ގުޅިގެން ހިދުމަތް މެދުކެނޑުނު މާލެއާއި ހުޅުމާލޭގެ ބައެއް ސަރަހައްދުތަކަށް މިހާރު ވަނީ އަލުން ކަރަންޓު ދެވިފައި. ނުދެވި ހުރި ސަރަހައްދުތަކަށް އަލުން ކަރަންޓު ދިނުމުގެ މަސައްކަތްތައް ދަނީ ކުރެވެމުން. ދިމާވާނެ ދަތިތަކަށް މަޢާފަށް އެދެން.

— STELCO (@STELCOMALDIVES) May 23, 2026

STELCO attributed the outage to “a technical issue”, but did not provide any details.

The blackout came just an hour after STELCO announced that it had managed to avoid cutting off power to any part of Male’ City or Hulhumale’ as it carried out upgrades by switching off the Hulhumale’ Powerhouse.

The company said that it had wrapped up the first phase of the upgrades, and would give prior notice to customers on when it would carry out remaining work.

ހުޅުމާލޭގެ 50 މެގަވޮޓް އިންޖީނުގެ ނިއްވާލައިގެން ކުރިއަށްގެންދިޔަ އަޕްގްރޭޑިންގ މަސައްކަތް، މާތްﷲގެ އިރާދަފުޅާއެކު މާލެއާއި ހުޅުމާލޭގެ އެއްވެސް ސަރަހައްދަކުން ކަރަންޓު ކަނޑާނުލާ ވަނީ މިއަދަށް ނިންމާލެވިފައި. ރޭ 3:00 އިން ފެށިގެން ހެނދުނު 8:00 އާ ހަމައަށް ވަރުބަލިކަމެއް ނެތި މި… pic.twitter.com/56J01tKLVh

— STELCO (@STELCOMALDIVES) May 23, 2026

The outage comes amid frequent outages in the capital in recent weeks. However, the recent outages have been mostly attributed to damage to cables, with STELCO working quickly to fix the issues and restore power.

However, the outage on Saturday is reminiscent of a total blackout in the capital last year, that left tens of thousands of people who live there without power for nearly six hours.

The blackout on June 1 prompted President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to order a police investigation. However, the findings of this investigation were never publicly disclosed.