Contractor damages Bayside high voltage cable causing localised power outage 

A power outage affecting Devil’s Tower Road, Laguna Estate and surrounding areas on Wednesday morning was caused by a contractor damaging a high voltage cable in the Bayside area. 

The damaged cable was within the Elysium project site and resulted in the loss of supply, which was restored just after 10am. 

According to the Government, the latest partial outage was caused on the same ring as the cable responsible for the June 26 total outage, albeit at a different location. 

But changes to make the distribution network more resilient following the June blackout meant the latest outage was contained to a localised area. 

“Critically, the improvements made since June worked,” a Government spokesperson said.  

“Engine 5 detected the fault immediately, and the strengthened network configuration contained it to a localised area rather than letting it cascade into a full blackout.” 

“This is a direct result of the hardening programme the Government and the Gibraltar Electricity Authority have carried out over the past two months.” 

“Without that work, today could well have repeated June's total power loss.” 

 “Further work continues until the Authority is satisfied fault currents are fully managed at every level of the infrastructure.” 

“A full update on the work carried out will be provided in September. The Government remains committed to a resilient, reliable electricity network for Gibraltar.” 

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, Gemma Arias Vasquez, who also has responsibility for the Gibraltar Electricity Authority, will meet the contractor to convey her disappointment on behalf of the Gibraltar Government and those affected by the outage, No.6 Convent Place said in a statement. 

“Damage of this kind is avoidable, and I want to hear directly from the contractor how these works were planned and how they were carried out,” she said. 

“Contractors who dig in Gibraltar are given detailed cable maps by the Authority, and they are expected to use them.” 

“They are also given on site instructions and expected to follow them.” 

“I was keen to pass the Electricity Infrastructure (Damage) Act 2025 precisely because damage of this kind has real consequences for families, for businesses and for essential services, and because those responsible should carry the cost rather than the public.” 

“Where the evidence supports it, those powers exist to be used.” 

The Electricity Infrastructure (Damage) Act 2025, which came into operation on November 7 last year, created a specific offence of damaging electrical infrastructure where this results in a power outage to all or part of Gibraltar. 

The offence is one of strict liability, meaning there is no requirement to prove the damage was intentional. 

Where an offence is committed by someone acting in the course of their employment, their employer is liable in the same manner and to the same extent. 

Under the legislation, the Gibraltar Electricity Authority may impose a financial penalty of up to £100,000, subject to the notice, representations and appeal procedure set out in the Act. 

The Gibraltar Government thanked engineers and staff at the Gibraltar Electricity Authority who worked to restore supply and apologised to residents and businesses affected by the disruption.