The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) yesterday said the countrywide power failure in the early hours of yesterday had not been due to sabotage.

It had been caused by a technical problem in the Kelanitissa-Kolonnawa cable, Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman E. A. S. K. Edirisinghe said apologising to the public fort the power failure.

"We are 100 per cent confident that there was no sabotage," he told a press conference yesterday at the CEB Headquarters in Colombo.The CEB Chief also said that they had rectified the system without additional cost. It was the first time in the history of the CEB that a power failure of this magnitude had taken place, he said.

"We would certainly hold an inquiry into it and make sure such mishaps will not take place in the future. It has been a learning experience for us," he added.

He said that by 2.30 a.m. the CEB had managed to restore 60 per cent of the power supply and again a blackout had been experienced around 4.30 a.m.

However, once again a blackout had been experienced and steps had been taken to fix the problem by 8.30 a.m., the Chairman said.

By noon 95 per cent of the power supply had been restored although Ratmalana, Panadura and Habarana still had problems, he said.

CEB General Manager Engineers Badra Jayaweera said that consumers could bring to the notice of CEB area managers damages caused by the power failure.