KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) advises the public, especially contractors, to be more careful when conducting excavation which could disrupt electricity supply during the implementation of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme which started today.
TNB Distribution Network (operations) head Mohd Yusof Ibrahim said, stable electricity supply is needed because the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius.
He said TNB had earlier assured that the electricity supply at the Vaccine Storage Centre (PSV) and more than 600 Vaccine Distribution Centres (PPV) nationwide would be stable throughout the implementation of the programme.
“The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is an important national agenda to fight the virus which has been hampering various aspects of our lives for almost a year,” he said in a statement issued by TNB today.
Mohd Yusof said that 459 cases of cable damage due to third party excavation were reported last year, with Selangor recording the highest number of cases with 118 incidences affecting 141,000 users, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 108 cases (94,000 users) and Pahang with 43 cases (55,000 users).
He also urged contractors who have to carry out digging to check with TNB first before starting any work to avoid electricity supply disruption.
“Tampering and stealing TNB installations can cause electric arc and power disruption.
“Playing kites and drones near TNB line as well as carrying poles and fishing in ponds or lakes under the TNB line also pose the same risks,” explained Mohd Yusof.
The public is advised to inform TNB CareLine 15454 immediately or contact the police when they see suspicious parties tampering TNB installations such as substations and transmission towers.
The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is implemented in three phases starting February 24 with Phase 1 from February to April 2021 for frontline workers involving 500,000 people.
Phase 2, from April to August, will involve senior citizens aged 65 and above, high-risk groups and the disabled comprising about 9.4 million people while Phase 3, which runs from May this year to February 2022, will cover Malaysians and non-citizens aged 18 and above, targeting over 13.7 million people. — Bernama
