Power line behind major outage to be rebuilt by 2027

Grid operator ČEPS will start rebuilding the V411 power line next year after its failure caused a major blackout last Friday. The project will cost CZK 1.7 billion and should be finished by May 2027, ČEPS spokesman told the Czech News Agency on Wednesday.

The line, which is the country’s highest-voltage route, failed due to a ruptured cable in the Ústí nad Labem region, cutting power to about one million people.

Instead of repairs, a new double-circuit line will be built, a plan that has been in place since 2016. A contractor will be chosen by year’s end. The exact cause of the failure is still under investigation.