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Blackout hits health ministry

ABU DHABI — A blackout hit the Ministry of Health for the past two days, hindering electronic processings for transactions at different departments, Khaleej Times has learnt.

Immense pressure on the main transformer supplying electricity for the 14-storeyed building, accommodating the ministry and other business centres, was believed to be the main cause for the recurrent power failure. A default in the AC system was blamed for the recurrent electricity problem, it has been learnt. A power cut occurred yesterday early morning at about 7.30am and was resumed within 40 minutes. It was the second electricity breakdown in the ministry within two days.

“The power supply was yesterday resumed within a short span of time at around 8.10am. Some of the morning mails and other transactions were held back for sometime,” an employee at the ministry told this reporter. “We came to know that the reason behind the cut was great load on the main transformer due to heavy consumption of electricity. The problem started with an AC breakdown. Inconveniences created due to the power shortage were not much,” added the employee. However, according to ministry staff, the first blackout that took place on Tuesday afternoon halted the process of work for about one hour.

“The power supply was cut on Tuesday at around 1.45pm and was immediately resumed about 2.30pm. Most of the transactions, which are electronically processed were halted. Besides, the sweltering weather added to the work stress caused by power outage, as offices were intolerably hot,” said another employee. Another employee commented: “Being non-functional, computer systems and electronic equipment delayed most of the work. The last hours of work at the ministry are very busy, and are in fact peak hours for many departments.”

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