It is assumed that the BLM breakdown in external electrical field is related to the occurrence of supercritical defects. Such an event is viewed at as the result of diffusion-like variation of the defect radius. The height of an energetic barrier for the supercritical defect origination is shown to depend strongly on the applied voltage. The variation of the BLM life time with the changing external field is calculated. Theoretical results are compared with those obtained experimentally. The values of phenomenological parameters found by the least square method are in qualitative agreement with those available in literature. © 1979.