Energy utility Tenaga Nasional Berhad is investigating the cause of a 50-minute power outage that hit the capital Kuala Lumpur earlier today, causing serious traffic congestions.

Syed Hidzam Osman, Tenaga senior corporate communications manager said power has was fully restored to affected areas, including the Petronas Twin Towers and the popular Bukit Bintang hotel and shopping district, at around 9.20am

The power failure caused major traffic congestion during the usual morning rush, the official Bernama news agency said.

A similar power outage occurred in the capital in January. And in September, 2003, a major power failure hit several northern Malaysian states. - AFP