SBS Transit CEO apologises for hours-long disruption on North East Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT
Services on a large stretch of the North East Line were affected for about three hours, the latest incident in a series of recent train disruptions.
A power fault at stations along the North-East Line, including Serangoon (left), and on a train at Hougang, on Aug 12, 2025. (Photos: CNA/Koh Wan Ting, Kora Fong)
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SINGAPORE: No train services were available on a large stretch of the North East Line (NEL) for three hours on Tuesday (Aug 12) due to a power fault.
The issue started at around 11am, affecting 11 stations between Farrer Park and Punggol MRT stations.
The power fault also affected trains on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT. Although services were largely restored after about three hours, trains were running only on one track for the evening peak period.
SBS Transit Group CEO Jeffrey Sim apologised to all affected commuters for the inconvenience caused.
"We take this matter very seriously and are looking into the cause of the incident," he said in a Facebook post at about 3pm.
Mr Sim said in a press release on Tuesday night that the issue had been traced to a depot substation, where the main and backup power supply tripped after a flashover in one of the voltage transporters.
According to SBS Transit's Facebook updates, the NEL resumed full service at 2.10pm, while services on Sengkang LRT resumed at about 3.35pm.
Punggol LRT progressively resumed service at about 4.15pm, with trains running only one one track for the evening peak period.
Full service on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT was back up at about 9.20pm.
When CNA was at Boon Keng station at about 11.20am, passengers were told by a security guard on ground level that no trains were running.
Signs had been put up stating there was no train service between Boon Keng and Punggol Coast stations.
The security guard stopped people from entering the station. But there were no announcements, and passengers were waiting at the platform.
There was a stationary train on the side headed towards Punggol Coast that had been there for about five minutes.
Staff members also said they were activating free bridging bus services.
When CNA spotted a bridging bus along Bendemeer Road near Boon Keng MRT station at 12.03pm, only three to four passengers were able to board as the vehicle was nearly full.
Meanwhile, passengers were not allowed past the gantries at Woodleigh MRT station when CNA was there at 11.34am.
A stationary train was also seen waiting at the station in the direction of Punggol Coast for at least five minutes, while a station announcement said recovery work was in progress.
At Serangoon MRT station, SBS Transit staff informed commuters that there was no power and redirected them from the NEL to the Circle Line towards HarbourFront MRT station.
“Do not wait here any more – there is no train. This is a major power supply trip,” an SBS staff member told CNA.
Passengers were also directed towards bus service 147 at an entrance of Serangoon MRT station.
As crowds flocked toward the bus service at around 11.20am, passengers found it difficult to board the bus.
The incidents on Tuesday are the latest in a series of recent train disruptions that Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow called disappointing.
His comment came after MRT services on the East-West Line were disrupted for five hours on Aug 6, causing frustration among morning peak-hour commuters.
