Electric Power Corporation General Manager, Faumui Tauiliili Toimoana has cleared the air on the unscheduled power outages in Vaitele which affected businesses, a bible study centre and some households.

Last weekend an electricity supply surge on Saturday and Sunday led to electrical equipment including computer workstations not fully functioning and lights not working at full strength. 

In an interview with the Samoa Observer on Tuesday, Faumui explained that the E.P.C on Monday managed to identify a fault at the Betham's field in Vaitele, which affected a three-phase transformer and impacted power supply to these households and businesses.

"There was a fault that the E.P.C staff identified at the low Vulcan side of the transformer load which affected the Samoa Observer, a mechanic business close to it, another house next to Samoa Observer, and a few houses at the Mana area in Vaitele," he said.

"You know Betham's field down the road from Samoa Observer, our staff managed to identify a fault in that field which affected the transformer so not the whole of Vaitele was affected by this.

"It was only that specific area which comprises the Samoa Observer, mechanic business close to it, house next to the Samoa Observer, and some families in the Mana area around there."

Asked whether this has happened before, the E.P.C chief said there are times when faults are experienced, especially with three-phase power transformers.

"There are times when there are faults, once one phase is affected, then the other two phases won't be able to operate properly and supply a balanced flow of electricity, especially for the houses that are operated by three-phase but the single-phase houses don't have to worry about anything."

Meanwhile, there was also an incidence of a power supply surge last Saturday which led to a total outage for about three hours in the afternoon. On Sunday, there was also low voltage which led to workstations and lights not operating at full capacity. A day later on Monday, there was also a power outage.