Company fined for damaging electricity cable

Soon Yong Trading Pte Ltd, an earthworks contractor, was fined $150,000 for damaging a 66kV high voltage electricity cable on 26 August 2010.  This disrupted electricity supply to areas in Bishan and Ang Mo Kio, as well as train services at thirteen MRT stations.

Energy Market Authority of Singapore found that Soon Yong Trading Pte Ltd had damaged a 66kV high voltage electricity cable while carrying out excavation works along the Central Expressway to install manholes and lay pipes for telecommunications cables.


Despite being aware of the presence of high voltage electricity cables at the worksite, the company had failed to dig adequate trial holes to locate the exact position of the cable, as advised by SP PowerGrid Ltd. Such trial holes help to identify the actual location of electricity cables underground before the excavation works are carried out.