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Samoa declares state of emergency over power blackouts
- 2 days ago (2025-03-31)
- David Flin
The Samoan government has declared a 30-day state of emergency as the main island of Upolu grapples with a severe power crisis. Major disruptions to Samoa’s electricity supply have affected the country, with power rationing in place since February.
All Energy 2025
The crisis resulted from faults in Samoa’s main underground power cable, severe weather causing damage to power lines, and the failure of backup generators.
A fault in the underground cable between Fiaga and Fuluasou power plants caused a blackout in Upolu last month. This resulted in further repairs being required. Three generators then failed, reducing generation capacity.
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said that the state of emergency allowed the government to implement measures to manage the energy supply, protect public health, and maintain essential services. He said that temporary power generators will arrive on 5 April, and permanent generators are expected in August.
The state of emergency will last until 29 April.