Eskom on full alert, warns bad weather may disrupt power supply

ESKOM has issued a public alert warning that plummeting temperatures and inclement weather predicted for the weekend may disrupt power supplies.

It said the the possibility of snowstorms, as well as heavy rain which had already started to sweep across the province could impact on the continuity of electricity supply to areas that may be affected by the severe weather – particularly in and around the highlands of KwaZulu-Natal – as well as Eskom’s ability to respond to possible high volumes of supply interruptions on its networks.

Eskom in KwaZulu-Natal is at full alert and has activated its emergency preparedness structures in case of an emergency. “We will monitor weather developments on an on-going basis and activate our emergency response plans where required,” it said.

“We would like to appeal for the support of the public and encourage them to report faults or any potentially disastrous conditions, e.g. sagging powerlines, damaged infrastructure etc., to our Customer Contact Centre on 08600 37566 OR send an SMS to 084 655 5778, 082 941 3707 and 083 647 1951, so that officials can attend to them as soon as possible,” it said, and appealed to the public for patience and co operation in the event of power supply interruptions. “We  will endeavour to ensure that all restoration efforts in the midst of inclement weather are conducted with the utmost consideration to safety for all involved.”