Johannesburg Residents Brace for Week-Long Planned Power Outages

Johannesburg households and businesses are gearing up for a week of scheduled power interruptions as City Power rolls out essential maintenance work across multiple regions. Starting Tuesday, 21 October, and running through Sunday, 26 October, residents can expect outages lasting up to eight hours in several suburbs.

City Power says these interruptions are part of a broader program to improve network reliability and prevent unplanned breakdowns, ensuring the city’s electricity supply stays steady in the long term.

Tuesday: Midrand Goes Dark

The first disruption hits Region A on Tuesday, 21 October. The Church Street switching station will be offline from 9am to 5pm, affecting roads including Queen Avenue, King Avenue, Jubilee Street, and Turbot Street.

City Power urges residents in Midrand to plan ahead. Social media reactions show local residents sharing memes and tips for surviving the outage, from stockpiling ice to charging devices early.

Wednesday: Eastern Suburbs Affected

On Wednesday, 22 October, Region E’s Gresswold Substation will undergo maintenance from 9am to 5pm, impacting areas such as Kew, Lyndhurst, Athol, Sunningdale, Glenhazel, Bramley Park, Bramley View, Rembrandt Park, and Glenhazel South.

Alexandra residents will feel the pinch too, with service delivery offices reporting disruptions. Some locals have expressed concerns online, noting that sudden outages can affect small businesses and home offices in these busy suburbs.

Thursday: Multiple Regions Face Interruptions

Thursday, 23 October, is shaping up to be a challenging day for power users. Three separate maintenance operations are planned:

• Midrand (Anton Hartman switching station) from 9am to 5pm, affecting Vorna Valley and surrounding streets.

• Alexandra, Region E, with outages along 18th Avenue, Hoffmeyer Road, and Canary Lane in Eastbank from 9am to 5pm.

• Inner City, Bree Substation, Region F, from 8am to 4pm, impacting FNB Bank City buildings 1 and 2.

City Power advises residents and businesses to prepare backup solutions, especially in critical facilities like banks and offices.

Friday: Roodepoort and Halfway House Maintenance

Two separate operations will take place on Friday, 24 October:

• Christian De Wet Switching Station, Roodepoort (Region C), offline from 8am to 4pm, affecting Boothills SWS, Panorama, Weltevreden Park, Rhinoceros SWS, and Ridge SWS.

• Halfway House Switching Station, Region A, from 9am to 5pm, impacting Allandale Road and Private Road.

Residents are reminded that intermittent supply restoration may occur, so caution around electrical equipment is essential.

Sunday: Roodepoort’s Longest Outage

The week wraps up with the largest interruption at the Manufacta Substation in Roodepoort on Sunday, 26 October. From 8am to 4pm, multiple areas in Region Cincluding Manufacta, Manufacta Extensions 1 and 3, Roodepoort West, Technikon, Lindhaven Extensions, and several Princess AH Extensionswill be without electricity.

This eight-hour outage is expected to disrupt daily routines significantly, prompting many residents to stock up on essentials and adjust work-from-home schedules.

Safety First

City Power urges caution during maintenance periods. “As the supply may be restored at any time, customers are urged to always treat their electricity supply points as live,” the utility warned.

The company apologised for any inconvenience and assured the public that these interruptions are necessary to strengthen Johannesburg’s electricity network.

Johannesburg’s electricity network has been under pressure in recent years due to aging infrastructure and rapid urban expansion. Planned outages like these, while inconvenient, are crucial for preventing unplanned blackouts and ensuring that the city can meet growing demand. Social media chatter suggests a mix of frustration and understanding, with many locals sharing strategies to cope with the week-long disruptions.

{Source: The Citizen}

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