Clear objects off Luyang cables, SESB staff urged
Published on: Wednesday, October 09, 2019
SABAH Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) staff have been instructed to step up efforts to keep the firm’s cables servicing a Luyang neighbourhood free of foreign objects to minimise the power disruptions in the neighbourhood.
This follows a complaint about the lengthy blackouts in Taman VIP which were caused by branches falling on, or even touching, the power lines.
ADVERTISEMENT
A SESB spokeswoman said the greenery growing in the vicinity of its electricity poles was dealt with shortly after it became aware of the most recent disruption.
“Our contractor has since pruned the overgrown trees near our cables,” she said on October 7.
“We will inspect the lines in the area from time to time to minimise this problem in future.”
She said work to prune the trees was carried per schedule, once every two months.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Consumers should alert us directly of any irregularities involving the greenery near our installations so that action can be taken to address these problems as soon as possible.”
ALICE of Luyang said the power to homes on either side of Jalan VIP went off for close to 12 hours on a recent Thursday, after a tree fell onto an overhead line in one part of the neighbourhood.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The cable was torn in two as a result,” she said.
“Despite reporting the disruption to SESB shortly after the lights went out that night, we had to wait till the following day before anyone came to shift the tree and repair the damage.”
She said the firm’s staff cut the fallen trunk into more manageable pieces but this debris was left on the roadside for weeks afterwards.
Alice said this was not the first time that a fallen tree had caused an outage there.
“This has been happening on and off for months already.
“In early 2018, over 10 homeowners, including myself, petitioned SESB to have the trees pruned.
“We also asked the company to consider moving the electricity poles and lines along the road further away from this greenery.”
She said the petition, dated January 9, 2018, was handed over to staff at the general manager’s office.
“A week earlier, a tree toppled onto an SESB line and left us without a supply from the late afternoon till midnight.”Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
