An oil spill of 50–60 tons has occurred at an abandoned transformer station near Oslo, Norway, possibly as a result of sabotage. This was reported by the power grid operator Statnett.
On Sunday evening, signs of a break-in were discovered at the old Hamang transformer station in Bærum. Damage to the equipment led to a major oil spill. Cleanup efforts began immediately and are still ongoing.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident. The fire department first reported the possible spill on Sunday afternoon. Statnett specialists quickly arrived at the scene and determined that the oil was leaking not from the new transformer station but from the decommissioned Hamang substation, which has been out of operation since last autumn.
Most of the spilled oil has been collected using storage tanks and sediment traps, but some contamination has seeped into the soil and reached the Sandvik River. To prevent further spread, the fire service has deployed containment booms, while municipal authorities have placed absorbent materials.
Over the past year, acts of sabotage on energy facilities across Europe have become more frequent, including arson and damage to power cables. In March, Swedish police launched an investigation into a possible sabotage incident on Gotland Island.
