Eskom unable to restore power in some parts of Gauteng due to equipment failure

With stage 6 load shedding this week, South Africans have spent hours without electricity every day. But some areas have suffered blackouts more than others.

Eskom has said it is unable to bring electricity back to some parts of Gauteng due to the high failure rate of mini-substations and transformers when power is restored.

On Wednesday, Eskom said the reason for the equipment failure was due to network overloading.

The utility said this is worsened by illegal connections, metre bypassing, tampering, unauthorised operations on the network, infrastructure vandalism and theft.

“Eskom has to date successfully replaced and repaired 116 out of 181 of the damaged mini-substations and 1,326 out of 2,314 transformers to the substantial total cost of R152 million,” Eskom said in a statement.

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However, the utility said a shortage of equipment means it is unable to meet demands, adding that a lot of its equipment needs to be repaired or replaced.

The utility also attributed the delay to restore power to numerous protests where roads are often barricaded. 

Senior Manager for Maintenance and Operations in Gauteng, Mashangu Xivambu, said Eskom‘s employees are often assaulted or held hostage while trying to repair infrastructure during these protests.

“The safety of Eskom employees is our number one priority, we will withdraw our services in areas where their safety is compromised. We have also reported these cases to the law enforcement agencies for further investigation.

“Although we are faced with the challenge of equipment shortages, the manufacturers have committed to continue to prioritise Eskom as they understand the impact this has on Gauteng as the economic hub, the essential services and the communities in the province,” said Xivambu.

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