Fire destroys power station on Manihiki island

What happened

A fire early on a Tuesday morning destroyed the power station in Tauhunu, Manihiki. The Office of the Prime Minister confirmed that a replacement transformer, generator and associated cabling will be needed to restore supply. No injuries or casualties occurred. The nearby solar farm remained intact, and the fire was contained so that nearby storage facilities were not further damaged. Three portable generators supplied temporary power to the cyclone management centre. Local and national agencies are working to source replacement equipment and plan the rebuild. The cause of the fire has not been reported.

Contributing factors

The cause of the fire has not been reported.

Lessons learned

1. Remote island power stations need a ready plan for temporary generation and for moving essential food stores when the station is lost.
2. Spare transformers, generators and cabling for isolated sites should be held where they can be sent quickly.
3. After a station fire, operators should confirm whether nearby generation, including solar, is still available.

Source

cookislandsnews.com