An estimated 60,000 tonnes of oil leaked from a disused transformer station near Oslo on Sunday after a suspected act of sabotage. The Norwegian police have launched an investigation into the incident at the transformer station located in Bærum municipality, Norway.
According to national power grid operator Statnett, the premises had been broken into, with part of the surrounding fence cut and the cover at the bottom of the transformer unscrewed and left open. Statnett’s Project Manager, Thomas Fennefoss, stated, “It appears that someone has broken in and removed a cover on the transformer, and left it open, causing a significant amount of oil to spill out.” However, the police have not yet found concrete evidence to confirm the act as deliberate sabotage.
The leaked oil, which is harmful to the environment but not to humans, reached the nearby Sandvikselva River and some seeped underground. Bærum municipality’s Communication Manager, Richard Kongsteien, mentioned that efforts to minimize the environmental impact are underway. Oil barriers and absorbents have been deployed to contain and clean up the spill.
