GEORGE TOWN – An electrical cable fire under the Penang Bridge at Km3.2 heading towards George Town this afternoon was caused by a short circuit involving a 132kV cable from the Bukit Tengah Main Entrance Substation in Seberang Prai to Bayan Mutiara on the island.
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) chief grid officer Datuk Husaini Husin said the cable fire was detected around 4pm and its real cause is still under investigation.
According to him, TNB is working closely with the police, fire and rescue department, and PLUS to control the fire and enable smooth traffic flow on the.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this incident,” he said in a statement.
He added that electricity supply to all consumers in Penang is still stable and the process of repairing the damaged cable will be carried out immediately.
Meanwhile, a source told The Vibes that the 132kV cable short circuit involved 220 substations, but was settled within minutes.
“It is possible that it happened due to overloading or over-voltage,” the source said.
Earlier, The Vibes reported that a power cable caught fire on the Penang Bridge just before evening rush today, causing a massive traffic jam on both sides of the link, stretching several kilometres.
Black smoke was seen billowing at the location.
Congestion was also reported all the way up to Juru and on the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Highway. – The Vibes, February 22, 2021
