With the cold temperatures and windy conditions experienced in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning, power utility City Power has warned of the possibility of extended outages due to the massive demand for electricity.
The situation is exacerbated by the ongoing load shedding, with Eskom currently implementing Stage 5 outages.
On Monday night, City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the inclement weather and the higher stages of load shedding could result in overloading of its network.
“The South African Weather Services have issued a notice of yet another cold front forecast to hit Johannesburg, with temperatures already starting to drop this evening and set to continue (on Tuesday) morning,” said Mangena.
“Temperatures are expected to drop up to six degrees Celsius and this would see a sharp increase in electricity demand.
“The forecast inclement weather conditions coupled with higher stages of load shedding could result in possible overloading of our network,” he said.
This, City Power said would inadvertently trigger frequent power trips and lengthier periods of outages.
“However, with cooperation from our customers, we could manage to mitigate the severe impact of heightened pressure on our network,” said Mangena.
He appealed to Joburg residents to help in preserving power.
“We therefore, appeal to customers to do their part and assist us in lowering electricity consumption by using it sparingly and always switching off all non-essential appliances.
“We urge customers to use electricity prudently to avoid facing similar outages encountered during the winter season,” Mangena said.
City Power said it has put measures in place to offset the impact of extreme weather conditions on its network.
“We are, however, relying heavily on responsible electricity consumption from our customers, in order to unburden the network and keep lights on.
“Our teams will continue to attend to outstanding outages in different parts of the city, while guarding against post-load shedding trips. We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this time,” said Mangena.
IOL