Elering restored energy supply in the storm-damaged Võru substation before midnight

A failure occurred at 4:32 p.m. on Sunday in Elering’s Võru substation. Thanks to immediately launched remedial work, the energy supply of the substation was restored by 10:31 p.m.

The failure was caused due to debris flying onto the equipment of the substation from the sheet roof panels of the control building of the substation and some of the equipment was damaged. This was an extraordinary event. There have been no earlier occasions of a large number of incidental items flying onto the substations of the transmission network or damaging any related equipment.

Elering immediately launched preparations for inspecting the substation after the failure. Before specialists could enter the substation, all the power lines headed there had to be switched off from neighbouring substations – Põlva, Kanepi, Rõuge, Sõmerpalu and Soo substations – in order to ensure safety.

At around 8 p.m. in the evening, an initial visual inspection of Võru substation took place, and it gave hope that at least a part of the substation has not been significantly damaged. Thereafter, the process of removing the incidental items that had flown into the substation, including the sheet roof panels, began.

One of the two sections of Võru substation was energised at 11:19 p.m., which allowed Elering to restore power supply to the majority of Võru town. On Monday, Elering will continue inspecting and maintaining the equipment of Võru substation in order to restore the normal operation of the entire substation.

The failure in Võru substation also cut power to consumers of neighbouring Rõuge and Ruusmäe substations for several hours. The operation of these substations was restored at 7:14 p.m. In addition to Võru substation, Elering’s consumers of Suure-Jaani substation in Viljandi County also lost power for approximately two hours due to the storm on Sunday.

Elering sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused to customers.