A simple balloon caused a power outage in several districts of Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the details.
The incident occurred on the evening of Oct. 19 at the Aksa Tashkent thermal power plant. Following the disruption, the plant’s power output fell sharply from 460 megawatts to 185 megawatts, leaving parts of several city districts without electricity.
Parts of four of Tashkent’s most populous districts — Yunusabad, Almazar, Mirzo Ulugbek and Shaikhantakhur — were temporarily left without power. Energy workers quickly switched to backup power sources, partially restoring electricity in Yunusabad and Almazar districts by 7:09 p.m. Power supply was fully restored by 7:25 p.m.
It was later established that a balloon had caused the disruption. It drifted into the plant’s area and entered an open switchyard, triggering the protection system. The incident was captured by surveillance cameras.
«We urge citizens not to launch balloons near power plants, substations and other electrical installations. Such incidents may lead to disruptions in electricity supply,» Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy said.