🌊 Saltwater contamination causes power outages in Grand Cayman

Severe salt contamination due to last week's Nor'wester has affected power lines in Grand Cayman, particularly in the western and coastal regions. The salt contamination can cause electricity to track across the devices, resulting in buzzing and crackling sounds along with visible arc flashes. This is believed to be the cause of the noise and flashes reported by residents in North West Point on Tuesday evening, with many stating they had seen an explosion. The power company, CUC, has confirmed a fault on a device that led to the outage, but the cause is still under investigation. 🌊

Over 2,000 customers were impacted by the outage, but most reportedly experienced only a brief interruption. CUC has said that its staff have been inspecting and systematically washing the devices with fresh water, prioritising the most critical areas to minimise the impact of potential faults. This incident highlights the vulnerability of power infrastructure to environmental factors and the importance of regular maintenance and inspection. ⚡