The heavy thunderstorm that struck the nation on June 27 to 28 knocked down power transmission towers and cut electricity to over 150 soums in Arkhangai, Bulgan, Uvurkhangai, Bayankhongor and Khuvsgul provinces. These soums got their power back after three days of repair. A working group led by Minister of Energy P.Gankhuu replaced 14 broken transmission towers and fixed a 110-kilowatt power transmission line connecting Erdenet city to Bulgan town that had been damaged because of the thunderstorm. “The thunderstorm broke 14 transmission towers, which is 26-meters long and weigh 5.5 tons each. We were able to immediately replace or erect damaged transmission towers as we, fortunately, had spare ones. We were able to distribute electricity to consumers once again thanks to the efforts of 100 engineers and technicians who worked nonstop for 48 hours,” S.Tserenjamts, the Head of Electricity Section of Department of Policy Implementation and Coordination at the Ministry of Energy, reported on July 1. Reportedly, electricity distribution networks started supplying electricity to most soums that lost power at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Hydropower plants in Taishir and Bogd River started generating power for 38 soums in Zavkhan and Govi-Altai provinces at around 10:00 p.m. on June 29, following orders from Minister P.Gankhuu. The Taishir Hydropower Plant had to operate on turbo mode to meet the increased electricity demand. S.Tserenjamts says that the operation to replace transmission towers was initially expected to take seven to 10 days and that the reinforcement from five regions helped speed up operations. Reportedly, the working group borrowed trucks from Ilch Khangai and Altai Trust LLCs to transport new towers but faced some problems due to muddy and slippery roads. According to Unuudur, last Wednesday’s thunderstorm not only cut out power but also caused floods in around 20 homes in Murun soum and swept away more than 800 livestock in Jargalan soum. Emergency workers rescued 550 livestock but had to exterminate carcasses of 250 livestock. Other reports say that floods have caused large cracks along the main roads to Murun and Tosontsengel towns.