A thousand homes and businesses were left without power after a cable was damaged.
Hundreds of houses and firms in Osney Mead, North Hinksey and Botley, Oxford, were left without power from just after 9.30am on Saturday for around an hour and a half.
Most of those affected had their power restored by 11.15am and the last remaining few were switched back on by lunchtime.
Denis Kerby, spokesman for Southern Electric, said that the cause of the power cut was damage to a high voltage cable in Ferry Hinksey Road, caused by a third party.
He said two-thirds of power cuts were caused by damage by a third party. which was out of the control of Southern Electric.
But he said: "We would like to issue an apology to our customers who have been inconvenienced."
Southern Electric does not release details of how the cables are damaged, but it is believed the damage to the cable occurred while fencing work was being carried out in Ferry Hinksey Road on behalf of the Forestry Commission.
The Forestry Commiss- ion was unavailable for comment.
Story date: Monday 22 February
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