The State Electric Company (STELCO) has wrapped up major maintenance works conducted after switching off the 50-megawatt powerhouse in Hulhumale’ on Saturday, restoring power to the greater Male’ area an hour earlier than scheduled.
STELCO on Friday evening announced a scheduled power outage in parts of the Maldivian capital. The state utility company said power would go out in parts of Male’ City and Hulhumale’ from 06:00 am to 10:00 am Saturday in order to conduct crucial technical works after switching off the powerhouse in Hulhumale’.
Hussain Fahmy, the managing director of STELCO, announced in a post on X that the company successfully wrapped up the major maintenance works at 08:43 am, a little over an hour ahead of schedule.
“The conclusion of this work and the restoration of power to all customers ahead of the previously estimated 10:00 am is a credit to the capability and hard work of STELCO’s dedicated engineers and technicians,” he said.
ހުޅުމާލޭ އިންޖީނުގޭގައި ކުރަމުންދިޔަ މަސައްކަތް ތާވަލްކުރެވިފައިވާ ވަގުތުގެ ކުރިން ނިންމާ އިންޖީނުތައް ލޯޑަށްލެވި މިހާރު ވަނީ މާލެއާއި ހުޅުމާލޭގެ ކަރަންޓުގެ ހިދުމަތް އާންމުހާލަތަކަށް ގެނެވިފައި. މިއާއެކު ލޯޑް ޝެޑްކުރުން ހުއްޓާލައި، މާލެއާއި ހުޅުމާލޭގެ ހުރިހާ ސަރަހައްދަކަށް މިހާރު…
— STELCO (@STELCOMALDIVES) August 23, 2025
STELCO had announced that power would be out for around an hour in parts of Male’ and Hulhumale’ between 06:00 am and 10:00 am. The company provided regular updates regarding the outages via its social media channels.
The major maintenance works on Saturday followed two incidents of total blackouts in the populous Maldivian capital over the last three months.
STELCO said the maintenance works was aimed at enhancing readiness to deal with possible issues and preventing such incidents in the future.
A total blackout on June 1 left the heavily populated Maldivian capital without electricity for nearly six hours. And a second one on August 9 lasted nearly three hours.
STELCO said that both incidents resulted from “technical issues”, without providing details.
In media interviews on Friday, Fahmy said STELCO increased its capacity by 17 megawatts over the course of last year and this year in a bit to address the growing demand for electricity in the capital, which is home to tens of thousands of people.
Fahmy said that the demand for electricity continues to rise in the capital as more and more people relocate there, making it necessary to increase STELCO’s capacity by 50 megawatts every five years.
“We are currently working with the government to build a large powerplant in Male’,” he said.
Fahmy said the project to build the planned 100-megawatt powerplant, which he said will cost around USD 100 million to USD 200 million, is getting delayed due to financial constraints.