Computer glitch blamed for Singapore's worst backout in decade

Computer glitch blamed for Singapore's worst backout in decade

Deutsche Presse-Agentur Singapore

A computer glitch caused the worst power failure in a decade in Singapore, paralyzing parts of the city-state for 90 minutes, officials said Thursday.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) said a group from the regulator and power companies will meet this week to review operations and come up with ways to prevent a recurrence of the Aug. 5 incident.

The ERA said a malfunction in the computer system of Indonesian natural gas supplier West Natuna cut off the flow of gas to one of two providers of fuel in Singapore, SembCorp Gas.

It is not clear what triggered the malfunction, the ERA said, but the lack of gas tripped seven power plants.

Thousands of people in at least 228 residential blocks, offices and industrial buildings were affected by the cut.

The biggest scramble was at the zoo, where the animals were quickly moved into dens. Electrical wires in the tiger and lion pens are one of the barriers separating the animals from visitors.

Khoo Chin Hean, the ERA's chief executive, said diversifying energy sources is one way to prevent a recurrence.

Next year, he said, it will start buying natural gas from the Indonesian island of Sumatra, reducing the number of gas-powered plants now reliant on Natuna and Malaysia's Petronas.

"At least if one pipeline is disrupted, the number of plants affected will be fewer," Khoo told The Straits Times.

Those involved in the blackout will not be penalized, Khoo said, adding the authority does not believe the blackout was caused by neglect.

Power in Singapore is provided by nine gas-powered plants that meet 40 per cent of demand with the rest coming from 16 oil- powered plants.