Brakfontein substation power restoration efforts continuing

A fire broke out at the 132/11kV Substation in Brakfontein last Thursday, causing significant damage to cables and 11kV feeder panels.

Earlier this week, Tshwane Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Utility Services, Frans Boshielo, confirmed that the fire at the substation was caused by the theft and vandalism of control cables.

In its latest update on Saturday morning, Tshwane said it had experienced delays due to the unique nature of the switchgear and transformers needed to repair the substation. 

"The equipment is tailormade for this specific sub-station, which complicates the repairs."

“The severity of the fire damage has generated significant challenges for the engineers of site. The transformer was energised at 2 pm yesterday and is currently undergoing a soaking period to observe performance. 

“The soaking period allows the transformer to stabilise and helps to identify any potential issues,” read the statement. 

There is still no indication of how long the soaking period may last, with the City saying the teams on the ground would observe the transformer’s performance over the next 24 hours. 

According to the City, the team had managed by midnight to clean four of the eight interconnectors and began work on the remaining four at 8 am on Saturday.

On Friday, Tshwane Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya confirmed the switching arrangement schedule would be rolled out in phases.