Sabotage suspected in Mumbai power outage Energy minister

    Mumbai, Oct 14 (PTI) Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin
Raut on Wednesday said a possibility of sabotage cannot be
ruled out in the massive power outage in Mumbai and
neighbouring areas two days back.
    Talking to reporters, Raut said the power breakdown in
the metropolis and neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai on
Monday was "not a small issue".
    "Our team was working on the 400 KV Kalva-Padga line
and the load was shifted from circuit 1 to 2. But, there was a
technical problem and the Kharghar unit stopped. There was
islandingin Mumbai which shouldn't have happened," he said.
    "This is the reason that possibility of sabotage is
suspected," Raut said.
    A technical team from the Centre is here to discuss
the power failure issue, he said, adding that "our inquiry
committee will also be set up."
    The central technical team will submit its report in a
week, he said.
    The minister said they will also discuss the study
report submitted by a probe committee which went into such
incidents in 2011, and whether an ATR (action taken report)
was prepared.
    He also said that a system audit is being prepared.
    A grid failure resulted in massive power outage in
Mumbai and neighbouring areas on Monday, stopping trains on
tracks, hampering those working from home and hitting the
stuttering economic activity hard.
    It took two hours for the power supply to resume for
essential services on Monday, following which other pockets
started getting power in a phase-wise manner. PTI MR
GK GK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)