Bats Cause Blackouts In Palu

Palu, Central Sulawesi, April 12 (Antara) - Some cases of sudden power outages were caused by bats that stuck on the power lines, Head of the State Electricity Company PT PLN for Palu area Suroso said here on Friday. Suroso said that several times PLN officers found the causes of the power outrages were not due to plants or substation engine interruption, but bats that got caught in power lines. In fact snakes are also often found in power lines. "That`s what caused short circuit and resulting power outages," he said. Suroso claimed that such interruptions caused the recent power outages at Palu electrical system. According to Suroso the generators and substations failure is also a common power outage cause, but the frequency is very rare. "Many of power outages were caused by animals that are snagged on the electricity network," he said. Snagged animals on the power lines usually occur on electricity networks that extended across plantations and forests from Palu to Tambu and Kulawi, Palolo, Parigi Moutong. Therefore, the company has to frequently trim and cut tall trees that exist around the electricity network to prevent future blackouts. Palu electrical system does not only supply the electrical needs for the province capital but also three other districts such as Sigi, Donggala and Parigi Moutong. The total installed electrical power system in Palu is now reaching 100 megawatts, including some generators that the company rented from private sectors.