Eskom has replaced over 400 electricity transformers that were damaged by network overloading since January this year, as reported by Puseletso Mokoena. This announcement comes as firefighters dealt with a blaze at an Eskom substation in Zola, Soweto, earlier today. The fire has left numerous areas without electricity, and the restoration timeline is currently unknown. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Eskom Spokesperson Aubrey Sambo emphasized the importance of reporting illegal electricity connections, stating, “Electricity theft is wide-ranging and includes illegal connections, network equipment theft, vandalism, meter bypasses and tampering, unauthorized network operations, and purchasing electricity from illegal vendors. Overloaded transformers as a result of electricity theft present a serious risk to human life. The time, funds, and manpower used to replace these transformers could have been utilized to improve the reliability of our network, electrify more communities, improve the experience of our paying customers, and create more jobs.”

Eskom's efforts to combat electricity theft and overloading involve significant resources that could otherwise be directed toward enhancing network reliability and expanding electrification initiatives. The ongoing issue of overloaded transformers not only disrupts power supply but also poses safety hazards and hinders economic progress.

Source: aabcnews.com