Households on three roads were left relying on mobile power generators - and even candles - after a slip-up on a construction site cut their power.

Damage to two cables at a site in Jalan Lateh caused electricity to go out along Daisy Avenue, Daisy Road and Sommerville Road in the nearby Braddell Heights estate.

Utility company SP PowerGrid estimated that 185 homes were affected. It said its officers reached the construction site at 10.43am on Tuesday after being alerted to the power cut.

Two mobile generators were sent to provide electricity to the affected homes - mostly private landed houses - which had their power fully restored by 1.07pm.

However the generators were still operating up until yesterday morning, when repair works were completed.

A spokesman said: "Despite our best efforts, intermittent disruptions occurred at around 5pm and 7pm, but supply was quickly restored."

Housewife Serene Soon, 45, said her family resorted to using candles as her house does not let in much natural light, even during the day.

"The house doesn't have many windows," she said. "I was quite worried for my mother-in-law. Being elderly she can fall quite easily, especially when it's dark."

Personal trainer Nicole Timmermans, 40, said her power went off half a dozen times on Tuesday night. "Our air-conditioner kept going out and the digital clock was constantly flickering."

MP for Marine Parade GRC Seah Kian Peng, who oversees the estate, said yesterday that the power outage was "nothing major" but added: "The key now is for the agencies to ensure that something like this does not happen again."

POON CHIAN HUI and NATALIE KUAN