S'pore to set up committee to review
energy system following blackout

 
  Agence France Presse
July 20, 2004
SINGAPORE


sINGAPORE announced Tuesday, July 20, a top-level committee will be set up to review its energy system following a major power blackout that tarnished the city-state's global image.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Vivian Balakrishnan told parliament the Energy System Review committee will "take a fresh look at our electricity and gas systems in totality and recommend how we can improve it.

"This will ensure that our systems are sufficiently robust against accident or disaster," Balakrishnan said, adding international experts will sit on the committee.

No other details were given about the committee's membership or when it will be established.

A power failure on June 29 plunged 300,000 people across large parts of the country into darkness.

Senior government officials have publicly stated the blackout damaged the nation's reputation internationally for ultra-efficiency and world-class infrastructure.

Balakrishnan repeated those concerns in parliament, saying the Economic Development Board (EDB), which oversees foreign investments, had received "serious negative comments from existing and potential investors."

Singapore is home to 6,000 multinational corporations and several thousand smaller foreign and domestic firms, which form the bedrock of its export-reliant economy.

The two-hour blackout was blamed on a defective pressure regulating valve in an onshore facility run by US oil major ConocoPhilips.

The valve malfunctioned because a 'solenoid' device that controls its movements took in water and short-circuited.

The valve shutdown disrupted the flow of gas from Indonesia's Natuna gas pipeline to six power stations generating electricity for the city-state.

However, backup systems designed to allow the stations to quickly switch to diesel and continue operating failed to work in five of the six plants.


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