Intruder at Brechin Castle Substation causes widespread power dip

The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) says an attempted act of vandalism at its Brechin Castle Substation caused a significant voltage dip across parts of the country at approximately 9.45 a.m. today.

In a statement, T&TEC said the incident occurred when an intruder entered the substation and came into contact with a 132 kV breaker, causing a fault that resulted in the voltage dip. The Commission said the national electricity grid remained stable and widespread outages were prevented because the system’s protective mechanisms operated as intended to minimise the impact.

According to T&TEC, security footage showed the intruder received an electric shock and fell to the ground before getting up and fleeing the scene without his tools. Authorities later apprehended the suspect and took him for medical treatment for severe burns.

T&TEC reminded the public that tampering with or interfering with its infrastructure can result in electrocution and serious injury. The Commission urged people to stay away from overhead lines, substations and related equipment.

Anyone with information about acts of vandalism can anonymously contact T&TEC at 474-8467.