As part of their ongoing commitment to enhancing the city’s power infrastructure, City Power has scheduled several maintenance outages throughout the week. The outages are set to begin on Tuesday, 8 July, and will extend until Sunday, 13 July. The utility provider has advised residents and businesses to prepare for interruptions as power will be cut in different areas for 8 hours at a time.
The maintenance is necessary for crucial network upgrades and will impact areas ranging from residential suburbs to Johannesburg’s central business district (CBD). City Power has assured customers that these scheduled outages are a necessary part of long-term efforts to improve service delivery across the city.
Key Details of City Power’s Planned Maintenance
City Power has scheduled a series of power outages across Johannesburg, starting on Tuesday, 8 July. The first interruption will affect parts of the CBD, including Elias Road, Langeveld, and Berger Street, from 9 am to 5 pm. The outages will be due to maintenance at the Harry Galaun Switching Station, which serves as a key node in the power distribution network.
On Thursday, 10 July, residents and businesses in the Doornkop area will experience an 8-hour power outage from 8 am to 4 pm. This outage is a result of maintenance work at the Soweto Substation. The interruption will impact the local police station, military facilities, as well as nearby businesses, including Santa facility and BP Garage.
Also on Thursday, City Power will conduct a maintenance shutdown at the Harry Galaun Switching Station, impacting areas in Johannesburg’s CBD, including Pretorius Street and Barbara Road. The outage will last from 9 am to 5 pm.
Lastly, on Sunday, 13 July, another significant maintenance outage will affect the East Bank and Far East Bank areas. The outage will run from 9 am to 5 pm, with power cuts scheduled at the Westfield Substation.
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Areas Affected by the Outages and How to Prepare
Here is a breakdown of the areas that will be affected by the scheduled outages:
- Tuesday, 8 July:
- Elias Road
- Parts of Langeveld
- Sections of Berger Street
- Thursday, 10 July (Doornkop area):
- Doornkop residential areas
- Doornkop Police Station
- Military facilities
- Santa facility
- BP Garage
- Thursday, 10 July (CBD areas):
- Pretorius Street
- Barbara Road
- Sunday, 13 July:
- East Bank
- Far East Bank
While the outages may cause inconvenience, City Power emphasised the necessity of these interruptions for improving the long-term quality of the electricity supply. The maintenance work is crucial for upgrading aging infrastructure and ensuring a more reliable grid, especially during high-demand periods.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to take steps to prepare for the outages. City Power has highlighted that power may be restored at any time, so residents should treat their electricity supply points as live. Additionally, the utility provider has requested that customers exercise caution during the maintenance periods to avoid potential safety hazards.
City Power’s Statement: “The maintenance work is critical to ensuring that our power network remains stable and reliable. We urge customers to bear with us as we conduct this essential work,” the utility said in a public statement.
Importance of Network Upgrades
The importance of maintaining an efficient and resilient power grid cannot be overstated. Industry experts highlight that the planned outages are part of a broader strategy to upgrade Johannesburg’s electricity distribution network. “While maintenance outages are inconvenient, they are vital for the long-term stability of the power grid,” said an expert in energy infrastructure.
City Power also noted that they had identified early morning and evening hours, typically between 6 am and 9 am, and 5 pm to 9 pm, as the most critical times when electricity demand peaks. This careful scheduling aims to minimise the impact on businesses and residents.
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While City Power announces 8-hour maintenance outages this week across Johannesburg, the interruptions are part of necessary upgrades to the city’s electricity infrastructure. The maintenance work will help ensure more reliable and efficient power distribution in the future. Residents in affected areas are urged to stay informed through City Power’s official communications and prepare for potential outages.
City Power has expressed regret for any inconvenience caused and assures the public that the work is essential to improving the overall service. For ongoing updates and further details, residents can visit City Power’s official website or follow them on social media.
