Residents of Johannesburg in certain areas will be affected by a scheduled power interruption on Wednesday, 12 June. This outage, set to last from 9:00 to 17:00, will affect over 40 areas as essential maintenance takes place. City Power, the municipal power utility, announced this interruption to ensure the reliability of the electricity network.
Rising Power Demand Strains the Grid
In addition to the planned maintenance outage, Johannesburg residents face further disruptions due to soaring electricity demand. City Power revealed on Saturday that load reduction measures would commence on Monday, a necessary step to manage the strain on the already overburdened grid. The power utility noted a sharp increase in electricity usage, exacerbating the stress on the city’s energy infrastructure. Areas such as Sandton, Soweto, and Orange Farm, still supplied by Eskom, are particularly impacted by this surge in demand. City Power’s statement highlighted the need for residents to adopt more efficient energy use habits, noting that despite repeated warnings, consumption has continued to rise.
Significant Increases in Peak Load
City Power’s data underscores the severity of the issue. The average evening peak load has surged by 65%, from 25 MW during the summer months to 33 MW between April and May 2024. In extreme cases, peak load has reached 42 MW, marking a 110% increase compared to the period from January to March this year. Off-peak consumption has also risen dramatically. Previously, substations recorded an average off-peak load of 20 MW, but between April and May, this figure spiked by 50% to 30 MW. These increases indicate a critical situation for City Power’s network, which is struggling to cope with the heightened demand.
Measures to Mitigate the Crisis
City Power emphasised the urgent need for load reduction to prevent further strain on the electricity network. “Our network is now at critical levels due to continuous demand that exceeds the capacity of our equipment,” the utility stated. Residents are urged to cooperate by reducing their electricity consumption and adhering to any guidelines provided by the utility.
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