Johannesburg’s electricity network is facing mounting pressure as freezing temperatures drive a surge in demand, while thousands of outages continue to test City Power’s ability to restore supply.
City Power says it is dealing with up to 3,000 outage calls across its eight service delivery centres, with Lenasia, Hursthill, Randburg and Reuven among the areas reporting high volumes of faults.
The cold snap has pushed households and businesses to rely heavily on heaters, geysers, electric blankets and other energy-intensive appliances. The resulting increase in peak-time consumption is placing additional strain on transformers, mini-substations and cable networks.
City Power says some protection systems are automatically tripping to prevent more extensive damage to infrastructure.
The utility says the pressure is particularly concerning in areas already affected by ageing infrastructure, illegal connections, meter tampering and rapid urban development.
Adverse weather conditions are also hampering repair operations, making it more difficult for technicians to access and repair certain faults.
City Power is urging residents and businesses to reduce unnecessary electricity use, particularly during peak periods, as technicians work to clear the growing outage backlog.