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Monkey clash leads to island-wide power outage
Colombo, Feb 09 (Daily Mirror) - A group of monkeys who entered the Panadura Power Station had ended up in a spat, interfering with the power grids, causing an islandwide power outage, sources from the Power and Energy Ministry said.
However, further investigations are ongoing.
The Ministry said it apologized for the inconvenience caused to the public and said steps were being taken to restore power immediately.
Comments - 82
Comments - Monkey clash leads to island-wide power outage
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Ashif Noohu Sunday, 09 February 2025 01:39 PM
Oh my god
0 14
A GOOD LESSON FOR EVRY BODY Sunday, 09 February 2025 08:32 PM
PANANDURAI , A TOWN. CAN YOU IMAGINE RURAL AREAS. ONE OF THE REASON MONKEY ENTER THE TOWN AND RURAL BY ELECTRIC CABLE. CATCH THEM ALL PUT THEM IN THE SANCTUARY
5 10
Slow clap Sunday, 09 February 2025 01:40 PM
So a 30 year war and all it took to wipe out the electricity grid was a monkey attack on panadura substation
0 69
Sokrates Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:03 PM
I've never heard such an idiotic excuse. Do they think the population is completely stupid?
2 37
S P Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:16 PM
Don’t believe this monkey story. Even if it is monkeys it should not cause a country wide blackout if happened in a decent power system. Watching the repairs happening (kudos to those dedicated staff) on youtube, looks like it’s a fault on a critical point in that particular substation that could have taken out the whole sub. The question is why did the whole system collapse as a result. Good thing is the system has been restored within a few hours after replacing that faulty equipment.
2 23
Dr. Dee esquire Sunday, 09 February 2025 01:43 PM
Some of those monkeys were seen at the Panadura beach this morning!
2 37
Pusa Sunday, 09 February 2025 09:21 PM
…but most of them were at the parliament with the little ugly monkey akd leading the way
27 29
Clueless Monday, 10 February 2025 12:11 AM
wanduras and kaputas srilanka peoples nemesis
0 2
වඳුරන්ට ගිය රටක් වෙලා අයියෝ Sunday, 09 February 2025 01:43 PM
No back up plan in a situation like this? Just a few monkeys can standstill the entire country?
4 56
Ganesh Sunday, 09 February 2025 05:08 PM
Don’t worry we have a troop from the national pacha party in charge of the country. Sooner or later we will be brought down to our knees again.
16 22
S P Sunday, 09 February 2025 09:30 PM
It’s a normal occurrence in substations to have intrusion of rodents, birds and as alleged in this case the monkeys! My guess is still a sudden failure on a piece of plant mounted at a critical location in the switch yard as seen from the repairs on YouTube. But there are accepted design and planning standards that require duplication, back up systems, handling contingencies like this based on the importance of the plant in question to the system, automatic disconnection of faulty sections (and shed part of the load) to ensure rest of the system will operate uninterrupted. Power system engineers are quite aware of this. But all this require funding and investment. Even with all this and even in major grids, serious disruptions can occur now and then. Only way to improve on this is to forensically investigate these major failures, learn lessons and implement measures to prevent recurrence. Blaming the government is just crazy as these things could happened under any government!
6 14
Insider Monday, 10 February 2025 08:53 AM
Thank you SP. At last a decent knowledgeable comment while most only give vent to their frustrations and ego trips. Comments lack understanding of sub stations. Recently a Korean plane crashed with 179 dead due birds sucked by the jet engines. If this wa a sri lankan plane, our people would have laughed without an iota of knowledge.
1 3
Subramaniam Tuesday, 11 February 2025 04:08 PM
The grid is a system of power lines and when one part goes down others take over. That said if the part that collapses has a high load other parts that take over may not be able to cope with the extra load and a progressive collapse of the system occurs. This happened in the USA and Canada in 2003. Some tree branches short circuited one line and others that took over could not cope with the extra load resulting in progressive colapse of the system and the whole of eastern USA and Canada was without power for five days. To me the monkey story is very plausible. It will take days to sort out a system that suffered progressive collapse.
0 1
Manjula Sunday, 09 February 2025 01:53 PM
It's not yet April to be fooled...! Lousy AKD
52 64
karu Sunday, 09 February 2025 01:58 PM
blame the poor monkeys for your poor maintenance
4 84
D Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:17 PM
When you can’t blame the previous govt, blame monkeys..
2 35
Karalasingam Sivalingam Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:01 PM
Export all minkrys to China and save our country from destruction. Coconut cultivation, fruit cultivation and Now electricity. Many countries culling horses, Kangaroos to save their forests.
20 45
Minkry Sunday, 09 February 2025 05:22 PM
What is a minkry Siva ? Are you one of those ? People like you should be exported. I agree.
2 10
Monkey Man Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:03 PM
So one power station can affect islandwide network? wow! Ape together strong!
3 56
FredSnR Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:04 PM
What a fragile system when a monkey spat can cause an island wide power outage, something seriously wrong.
2 52
Saugeetha Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:04 PM
Too many monkeys in SL.
2 44
Lakshaman Bandaranayake Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:15 PM
I never though the island-wide transmission lines of electricity is going through a subs-station in Panadura. Of is the hon minister thinks Sri Lankan have monkey level intelligence.
5 64
Dr. Dee esquire Sunday, 09 February 2025 05:35 PM
Mind you, the Hon. minister is actually ‘Hon. Eng. Blah Blah esquire’
0 15
Ylg Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:19 PM
That's we have it underground!
0 8
HUTA Martin Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:25 PM
NPP, please control your friends. They were misbehaving in Panadura power station.
15 52
Rip Winkle Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:27 PM
First it was one monkey, now it's a group of monkeys. Next it might be a monkey with an electrical engineering qualification.
2 57
nizam Sunday, 09 February 2025 05:50 PM
well! running out of Fuel so let's go with 'monkey tricks'
0 14
Monkey Business Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:29 PM
Its a shame that a bunch of monkey can bring down the entire grid !!! There should be a mechanism to isolate local areas without tripping the whole country. On a lighter note ...... most of the monkeys in parliament were chased out so lets hope we minimize the damage that the actual monkeys do to electrical line and crops like coconut
3 29
Monkey Vs Donkey Monday, 10 February 2025 04:23 AM
Are you a monkey or a donkey ? If you are a monkey, you would believe you can fool the donkeys. If you are a donkey you believe the monkey. A substation is responsible for the loss of power in the entire grid, if you can believe this you undebatably are a donkey !
1 1
Hassanda Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:32 PM
These Monkey Issue is a.Biggest Prblm for the Country -and Peoples daily life Damaging crops - Getting inside the houses taking away valuable things Better extinguish these monkey’s
12 14
Sharmi Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:34 PM
First the monkeys were blamed for the shortage of coconuts and now they're being blamed for the islandwide power outage.
3 45
Lk Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:34 PM
Monkish give a good lessons to our politicians: don’t mess up with us and we will cut your power : this incident shouldn’t taken lightly: many people have been taking the problems and challenges of monkey in this country: their population is growing many times and yet don’t care about it why ? Is this is big issue and yet policy makers don’t act for many reasons : wait and see some more disasters take place : Always coconuts production is down due to monkies : many farmers complain but our policy makers don’t take actions: Do you want more of this and wait and see : till some disaster comes in another form from money : It could spread some virus and infection as well :
9 9
5555 Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:41 PM
Only majority monkeys in this country can understand this Government AKD
13 20
Tik-tok Sunday, 09 February 2025 02:55 PM
Real monkey business...
0 18
Kikazaru Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:03 PM
An extremely unapologetic explanation. How can a monkeys having a spat on the power lines cause an islandwide power outage with the CEB still can not restore. The CEB is a high;y bloated organisation with high salaries. At all points to negligence and ignorance with the CEB is trying to coverup.
1 32
Mizaru Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:07 PM
Oh! It is reported that a monkey fell on a power line at the Panadura Power Sub Station. Great, to save the money they disconnected the power islandwide. What a fairytale!
1 23
Hon. Sarneris Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:07 PM
No coconut due to moneys. No electricity due to monkeys. What next?
1 28
gallbanis arrack for Rs1000 Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:15 PM
excuse after excuse blame it on a monkey for a loophole in the system. This is a serious security concern, a monkey bringing down the entire country to a standstill. Just imagine the losses incurred on small to medium scale businesses! this power outage is a normal in Minuwangoda a city hub close to Katunayake.
0 20
Maha Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:25 PM
Pl do not buishit, find real cause. Else let monkeys to design power grid.
0 24
Kadija Nazim Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:27 PM
Monkey power..cut.. Wow.. if a monkey can cause chaos by triggering an island wide power failure on a touch of a button in the city of panadure.. All island srilankans should vote for this monkey who is capable of doing powerful wonders..lets vote the monkey in..
0 29
Jeanne Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:27 PM
Well, at least in this instance they are the four-legged variety!!!!!
0 10
Raven Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:40 PM
JVPers in the government. I'm speechless. No comment.
7 25
Terrence K Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:49 PM
Monkeys also want to show their knowledge and tactics on pylons carrying trasmission electricity lines as they are all LBoard trainees like the present ruling JVP/NPP politicians who are having a field day in making messes in the smooth functioning of the economy!!!!
4 18
Lalith wickramaratne Sunday, 09 February 2025 03:51 PM
The monkeys disrupt normalcy in sri lanka during the ancient time according to the ramayana .
0 12
Will these monkeys sabotage foreign investment decisions? Monday, 10 February 2025 07:24 AM
Those monkeys in Ramayana came from South India, while these are original Sri Lanka monkeys. The question is, will this incident affect the decision of potential foreign investors in this country? Will this incident give warning to Adani group who wants invest in production of renewable electricity.
0 0
Lokku Kallu Rilawa Sunday, 09 February 2025 04:09 PM
Our Power Engineers have all migrated. the monkeys were hired by CEB to inspect and repair the Grid. Can we get some Moneys into Parliment - Cheaper than politicians. Paid in peanuts.
0 25
Monkey power! Sunday, 09 February 2025 04:11 PM
What a nonsense excuse! As usual, flimsy excuses from the NPP government!
10 31
Dr. Dee esquire Sunday, 09 February 2025 04:57 PM
Dilakshan! Are you safe?
0 5
Dilakshan Senevirathne Monday, 10 February 2025 12:08 AM
Yes I am safe , thank you for asking. These issues are due to corruption in previous regimes who implemented cheap infrastructure but at very high cost to the treasury. Majority of the expenses were going into their pockets. Our government will solve all these issues and we got 5 years to correct 76 years of mismanagement. We will solve money, elephant, flooding issues in due course.
3 2
Irs Sunday, 09 February 2025 05:23 PM
After all monkey show everywhere.
0 3
Kathira Sunday, 09 February 2025 05:50 PM
Poor monkeys . Couldn't refuse the charges. May be monkeys will file a defamation case. LOL
0 7
CJ Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:11 PM
Monkeys on the able to decide on prices of what we eat, switch off power over a spat....may be next a monkey will decide to wear a double pocket shirt and run for the Presidentcy....oh wait i just saw one with a beauty spot !!!
0 7
Cesar Augustus Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:12 PM
In a plot twist straight out of Planet of the Apes, Sri Lanka’s power grid was brought to its knees—not by advanced AI, cyber warfare, or even human error (for once)—but by a group of quarreling monkeys. While authorities scramble to “investigate” (which likely means staring at some wires and shrugging), one can’t help but wonder: was this just an accident, or the first step in a grand primate uprising? First, they take the power grid—next, they seize control of the nation by getting seats in the government. Wait, has it already happened? We are doomed!
0 13
Disgusted citizen Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:14 PM
The Government has to seriously think of finding a solution to this menace,forget about the false environmentalists, animal lovers,the country is suffering something has to be done about this,solution is exporting these harmful animals to china or cull them in the villages ,all will be well in one year ,Think about this.......
4 2
Yohan Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:54 PM
What a bogus and funny excuse by the minister. Lol
1 12
Dr Tissa Fernando Sunday, 09 February 2025 06:57 PM
A group of moneys were able to create an island wide outage by attacking one substation. This shows that our grid is extremely weak and vulnerable, it appears that the so called bright Engineers in CEB have done a very bad job in grid design without robust structure. This opens up many questions on the education system too, are we creating too many book worms with no practical or common sense through our education system? We cannot blame 4 months old government for this because the root cause of the issue may go back to bad design over several years or even decades. But they have the opportunity to correct the past mistakes.
3 6
wickrama Wijayasiri Sunday, 09 February 2025 07:01 PM
CEB engineers are paid handsomely. This proves their depth of knowledge, quality of care, and incompetence. Do not blame AKD. If our IT and the EE's cannot plan for this type of a eventuality, what good are they. The monkeys did not land in SL yesterday. Have they planned for the bats and the crows? What a lame excuse. If they claimed that it was due to old and decapitated equipment, it would have been a plausible excuse. Heads should roll. Who pays the tab for lost business and chaos resulted? We will await to see how the minister and the top managers act on this. People lost hoards of money.
0 5
Yohan Sunday, 09 February 2025 09:39 PM
It was the idiotic minister who came and said about a monkey attack not ceb officials. Minister should resign or go home. He says he is an engineer too but that seems to be questionable toowith this childish excuse when ceb officials it is a issue with norochchale power plant.
1 9
Dakshini Perera Sunday, 09 February 2025 07:03 PM
Could it be sabotage by the two legged monkeys?
1 7
Dr. Dee esquire Sunday, 09 February 2025 10:01 PM
Yes! Quite possible. JVP guys knows exactly how to sabotage transformers! Since they are in power, may have used a monkey as a scapegoat?
0 2
Peter Perera Sunday, 09 February 2025 07:18 PM
Reminds of how jvp was controlling our country in 80tees.
1 10
martin Sunday, 09 February 2025 07:21 PM
What more can you expect when we are ruled by a monkey
4 5
J P Rajan Sunday, 09 February 2025 07:59 PM
Movie Planet of the Apes and now sequel Country of the Monkies shooting in Sri Lanka!!
0 4
R Navaratnam Sunday, 09 February 2025 08:04 PM
The blame lies with CEB because there is no safety measures at the Power Station. Apologies has no meaning. Conduct frequent training to the staff.
0 6
Ril Sira Sunday, 09 February 2025 08:43 PM
Jokes aside, the monkeys are a pesky headache and something has to be done humanely cull the population. So are the stray dogs jumping at motorbikes and biting people walking in in treets. The average man bears the brunt of the impact because of lack effective animal control. Meanwhile, the authorities are so terrified of the animal rights groups they don't have the courage to take decisive and long term action. This incidents is best opportunity to do something effective.
5 3
Rahumathulla Abdul Rahuman Sunday, 09 February 2025 08:55 PM
Definitely Kanchana will be appearing for a Voice Cut to blame the government for the delay in restoring the power. Anyway, it is my doubt that some planned moves are behind this power outage. The monkey alone can't be the culprit.
3 2
Dr. Dee esquire Sunday, 09 February 2025 09:30 PM
This monkey for sure is a JVP’er who got roasted in 89/90! That’s why the thing was so sure of blasting a transformer to put the entire country in darkness! People! This is a sign! Be careful! They will come in form of monkeys as well!
1 5
Yohan Sunday, 09 February 2025 09:35 PM
Npp guys will believe mate.
0 3
Lanka putha Sunday, 09 February 2025 10:01 PM
These monkeys were they in parliament last time. Or the lots got to gether recently
0 0
krishan Sunday, 09 February 2025 10:03 PM
Incompetent engineers and staff. Gov should take a transparent action on them instead of giving excuses.
0 0
K Sunday, 09 February 2025 10:10 PM
Looks like sabotages are everywhere that’s the danger of Rw and ME keep outside
0 0
Kapila Sunday, 09 February 2025 10:58 PM
This is a typical design failure of the CEB system design Engineers. There are standards and code of prctices that are to be followed during designs and construction. Engineer have miserable failed in this system design
0 0
S. Fari Sunday, 09 February 2025 11:00 PM
Someone wrote PANADURAI Was it a typo or was it not ? Either way it is a No No. It is spelt and pronoubed "Pandura". Too many ancient hela diva towns have been mispronounced for far too long that they now sound as though they were there from time immorial. Such tranformed names are in contrast and alien to the indigenous and original inhabitants of the island who called this water water body KOKAVILA for good reason. Just because someone cannot (or does not want) to utter the correct name, it should not become recognized as "KOKAVIL" with the lapse of time. Just like India did change the name of BOMBAY to its rightful name MUMBAI (there are more similar examples), Sri Lanka should follow suit and REVERT the names of its cities and towns to its ordinal rightful centuries old past names which have became tranformed and twisted away from its original form.
0 1
අපිලගෙ ආණ්ඩුව Sunday, 09 February 2025 11:56 PM
Monkeys are big headed now and they have developed "some attitude" during the last few months. I'm sure it's because their relatives are in power.
0 1
Hinni kithara Monday, 10 February 2025 12:12 AM
I thought they were all at the Parliament..!!
0 1
TKD Monday, 10 February 2025 03:50 AM
And you expect foreign investment to flow into the country when Monkeys can bring down the entire system!!! Who with their right mind will want to invest in a country like this!!
0 1
Mfb Monday, 10 February 2025 06:53 AM
Where are those Monkey lovers to protect monkeys. Protect Humans first man before protecting monkeys and dangerous animals. This is nothing to do with Animals rights related issues.
0 1
Percy Wijenayake Monday, 10 February 2025 10:11 AM
Award a standing order to a contractor to dump these monkeys in the thick jungles of NCP.
0 0
Rukman Perera Monday, 10 February 2025 04:45 PM
Previous governments had JVP disruptors. The JVP government has elephants, monkeys , ants, dogs, cats, protesting and disrupting everything because AKD and government started putting blame on them for coconut and rice shortages.
0 1
Mahila Monday, 10 February 2025 11:38 PM
S. Fari, "Such transformed names are in contrast and alien to the indigenous and original inhabitants of the island who CALLED THIS WATER WATER BODY KOKAVILA for good reason." The original and LONGSTANDING name of the Location 'Kokavil' or 'Kokavila' IS 'KOKA-VILLU' - "THE VILLAGE THE KOKA'S COME TO ROOST"!!?? What is in current usage is the product of an ambitious but obnoxious, ignorant attempt to 'Sinhala-Sise' the Names of Locations in Sri Lanka since mid-1950's, in an endeavour to prove that place wasn't predominantly domiciled by Tamils; purely after 1980, after Sri Lanka Army camp was opened to secure the Rupavahini Booster Relay Station!!?? Similarly VANNATHIVILLU north of Puttalam (‘Puttalama’), became known and published as ‘VANNATHIVILLUWA’!!?? Fari, fully agree with your concept of reverting to the ORIGINAL!!?? Rightfully so, “The name ‘KOKAVILA’ to ‘’KOKA-VILLU”!!??
0 0
Mahila Monday, 10 February 2025 11:54 PM
S. Fari, The original and longstanding Name of yore of the city now known as, "PANADURAI" OR "PANADURA" IS NONE BUT PAHANADURA - The city which lies at the DISTANCE ‘A PAHANA’ – ‘VEGETABLE OIL-FUELLED LIGHT’ COULD BE SEEN, ALONG THE SEA COAST FROM COLOMBO!!?? It's GOOD to restore that too’, “PAHANADURA”!! If NOT, Why Not!!??
0 0
Citizen Pereira Wednesday, 12 February 2025 01:45 AM
Minister, this version of the story seems too far fetched to swallow. How can something in Panadura throw out the power grid for the entire country? Do not tell me CEB does not have isolators at different locations for this very purpose? Given this, can you please clarify if this was the work of a Monkey with or without a tail?
0 0
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