Suspected Sabotage Causes Major Oil Spill at Norwegian Transformer Station

Authorities are investigating a major oil spill at a decommissioned transformer station in Bærum municipality, near Oslo, after a suspected act of sabotage.

On Sunday, approximately 60,000 liters of oil leaked from the facility following a break-in. A section of the perimeter fence had been cut, and the cover at the base of the transformer was found removed and left open. Statnett, Norway’s national power grid operator, believes the incident was intentional.

“It seems that someone forcibly entered the site, took off a transformer cover, and left it exposed, leading to a substantial oil spill,” said Thomas Fennefoss, a project manager at Statnett.

Despite these concerns, Norwegian police stated on Monday that there is currently no concrete evidence confirming sabotage as the cause. An investigation is ongoing.

The leaked oil, which is harmful to the environment but not dangerous to humans, has reached the Sandvikselva River, with some also seeping into the ground. Efforts to minimize the environmental impact are in progress.

Richard Kongsteien, Communication Manager for Bærum municipality, reported that containment measures such as oil barriers and absorbents have been deployed to limit the damage and clean up the spill.

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