Eskom highlights dangers of building near power lines

Eskom has noted an escalation in homes built within power line servitudes without the entity’s approval.

The state enterprise said this is not only against Eskom’s regulations, but also poses a number of safety risks.

The land below and adjacent to a power line is called a servitude.

This servitude belongs to the relevant landowner in that area but Eskom has sole right to this land due to the need to conduct maintenance and fix power lines from time to time.

“The perception that power lines are harmless due to their size and overhead distance could not be more wrong.

“In order to ensure the safety of communities, residents are not allowed to live within power line servitudes because it is almost impossible to ensure their safety,” said Miranda Moahlodi, senior manager for occupational health and safety at Eskom.

Electricity transmitted or distributed on power lines can be up to 765 000 volts.

A fault anywhere on the power line may cause very high current to flow towards the ground.

Should someone be close to the line, fault current can flow through the person and kill him or her. There are incidences where residents were injured as a result of metal objects coming into contact with live electricity.

Developers should make sure that the required clearance is maintained when access roads are built crossing Eskom’s servitudes.

Aside from the direct safety issues, building close to power lines makes it difficult for Eskom to conduct infrastructure inspections, which can affect the supply of power in an area and hinder the early detection of issues that could cause major damage.

During maintenance, Eskom staff often need to remove or replace pieces of equipment when they maintain these lines, and these pieces of equipment, which are often heavy, could fall on the dwellings or people below the line.

Additionally, Eskom uses various types of machinery to maintain its power lines including large trucks, which require enough space to access the structure.

“We hope that the public will heed this call and assist us by only building in designated areas that have been approved by the local municipality and government. We will continue to educate communities about electricity safety, ensuring that we all use electricity safely and responsibly,” Moahlodi said.