Power supply restored in Azerbaijan - UPDATE - PHOTOS

Supply of electricity in Azerbaijan is fully restored, Azerenergy Production Association (electricity production and distribution) told Trend on Friday.

According to official report of Azerenergy, problems in Azerbaijan Thermal Power Plant, located in Mingachevir were due to heavy rain and lightning strike, with resulted in a fire at the 330-kV substation.

"An air switch and 330-kV transformer damaged as a result of lightning strike," the company reports. "Because of damage to emergency automation, there was failure in the country's power system," the report says.

According to the report, electricity supply to Baku and regions of Azerbaijan was restored as a result of work conducted in the shortest possible time.

Fire that occurred at the plant was extinguished by employees of the Emergency Situations Ministry.

Problems with electricity supply associated with failure in energy generating facilities, according to preliminary data, are being observed in most districts of Baku.

As Emergency Situations Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend, power failure occurred as a result of lightening strike, which led to problems in activity of power plants.
According to witnesses, electricity problems also affected operation of Baku Metro, traffic lights and Internet.

Operation of Baku Metro was restored after 09:00. Earlier metro stations were closed for passengers.

Traffic police currently regulates many key roads of Baku traffic control junctions. Power cut-off has not affected the cellular network, television and radio.

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Supply of electricity is restored in Azerbaijan, Azerenergy Production Association (electricity production and distribution) told Trend on Friday.

The supply of electric power to consumers has been restored by 8 a.m.

In most areas of Baku and in the regions of Azerbaijan and seven o'clock in the morning local time, there are problems with the provision of electricity

As Emergency Situations Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend, power failure occurred as a result of lightening strike, which led to problems in activity of power plants.
According to witnesses, electricity problems also affected operation of Baku Metro, traffic lights and Internet.

Traffic police currently regulates many key roads of Baku traffic control junctions. Power cut-off has not affected the cellular network, television and radio. "Azerenergy" was not available for a comment.

Operation of Baku Metro was restored after 09:00. Earlier metro stations were closed for passengers.

Traffic police currently regulates many key roads of Baku traffic control junctions. Power cut-off has not affected the cellular network, television and radio.

Azerbaijan Railways started the transportation of trains by diesel locomotives due to power outage.

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10:51

Restoration work at the Mingachevir Hydro Power Plant, where a failure took place due to a lightning strike, is nearing completion, a government source told Trend on Friday.

"The reconstruction work is at the final stage, and operation of the HPP will be fully restored in the next few hours," the source said.

Problems with electricity supply associated with failure in energy generating facilities, according to preliminary data, are being observed in most districts of Baku.

The electricity related problems have been occuring since approximately 7:00 AM (local time).

As Emergency Situations Ministry of Azerbaijan told Trend, power failure occurred as a result of lightening strike, which led to problems in activity of power plants.

According to witnesses, electricity problems also affected operation of Baku Metro, traffic lights and Internet.

Traffic police currently regulates many key roads of Baku traffic control junctions. Power cut-off has not affected the cellular network, television and radio. "Azerenergy" was not available for a comment.

An hour later, electricity supply was gradually restored. Problems with electricity in Baku have not affected the operation of the International Heydar Aliyev Airport.

The flights are being carried out according to the schedule, the airport told Trend on Friday.

Power cut-off also affected operation of CJSC Azerbaijani Railways.

"In spite of the problems with electricity, the transportation of all passengers will be provided even if there might be some delay," spokesman of Azerbaijan Railways Nadir Azmammadov told Trend on Friday.

Problems occurred also with the connection. All communication is being made through mobile phones.

Electricity supply problems in Baku and regions of Azerbaijan have not affected gas operations and gas supply to consumers of the country, Azerigaz Production Association of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) told Trend on Friday.

The Production Association has all the necessary reserves and generators.

At present, electricity at the SOCAR enterprises is supplied as normal. Problems with enterprises were observed in the morning, when electricity supply was stopped.

However, at the same time, the company said that the power outage has not affected production at major fields "Guneshli" and "Oil Rocks", which have a separate power supply system.

As Azersu Told Trend, after a power failure problems occurred with water supply from large tanks and reservoirs, however, they are now almost addressed and water supply is being resumed as normal.

Mass power outage in Baku and in some regions of Azerbaijan paralyzed operation of most ATMs and POS-terminals, Head of AzeriCard Business Development Department Jahangir Mammadov told Trend.

As a rule, electricity is supplied to ATMs and POS-terminals in the places where they are installed. The problem is not a systemic, and after a power outage it is necessary to re-run all ATMs.

Mammadov said that mass power outage has not affected the operation of remittance system of processing center.

Problems with electricity supply have not affected the activity of the country's largest bank - the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), the bank told Trend.

"The bank renders all the operations without problems, all ATMs and POS-terminals properly operate," the bank said.

All customers of the bank, appealing to any branch, can get a full range of banking services.

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10-21

Problems with electricity supply associated with failure in energy generating facilities, according to preliminary data, are observed in most districts of Baku and regions of Azerbaijan from 7:00 local time.

As the Emergency Situations Ministry told Trend, power failure occurred as a result of lightening strike, which led to problems in activity of the power plants. 
Traffic police regulates many key roads of Baku traffic control junctions. Power cut-off has not affected the cellular network, television and radio.

Power cut-off also affected operation of CJSC Azerbaijani Railways. "In spite of the problems with electricity, the transportation of all passengers will be provided even if there might be some delay," spokesman of Azerbaijan Railways Nadir Azmammadov told Trend on Friday.
Problems occurred also with the connection. All communication is made through mobile phones.

Electricity supply problems in Baku and regions of Azerbaijan have not affected gas operations and gas supply to consumers of the country, Azerigaz Production Association of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) told Trend on Friday. The Production Association has all the necessary reserves and generators.

At present, electricity at the SOCAR enterprises is supplied as normal. Problems with enterprises were observed in the morning, when electricity supply was stopped. However, at the same time, the company said that the power outage has not affected production at major fields "Guneshli" and "Oil Rocks", which have a separate power supply system.

As Azersu told Trend, after power failure problems were observed with water supply from large tanks and reservoirs, however, they are now gradually being addressed and water supply will be resumed as normal.


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09:13

The massive power outage in Baku not affected the activity of the  Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the airport told Trend on Friday.

"No problems occurred with electricity. The flights are performed on schedule," said the airport.


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09:01

Problems occurred in the power supply of Baku and several other regions of Azerbaijan from 7:00 am local time due to a failure in the power generation system in Mingechevir.

The Emergency Situations Ministry reported that the lightning stroke the Mingachevir PP and led to the technical problems.

According to witnesses, the problems also affected the work of Baku Metro, internet providers.
 
The traffic police was forced to regulate the traffic movement in many key road junctions in Baku. The power cuts not affected the cellular network, television and radio.
 
JSC Azerenergy has note yet provided any information.

/Trend/