Eskom announces 7-hour power outage in Gauteng on Thursday

Eskom maintenance will result in a nine-hour power outage in parts of Gauteng.

The power utility will do the maintenance on Thursday, 22 February.

NINE-HOUR POWER OUTAGE IN GAUTENG

Eskom said there will be electricity supply disruption in Soweto due to maintenance that will be conducted on the distribution network.

“The power outage will affect customers in Chiawelo, Moroka and Senaoane on Thursday, 22 February from 9:00 – 16:00. The interruption of electricity is necessary to perform essential maintenance on our distribution power lines,” the power utility said.

CUSTOMERS URGED TO TREAT ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AS LIVE

Eskom said in the interest of safety, customers should treat all electrical appliances as live at all times during the power outage.

“Eskom apologises for any inconvenience that may be caused by this maintenance. Should circumstances beyond the control of Eskom arise, the planned electricity maintenance may not proceed as communicated,” the power utility added.

Eskom has announced a seven-hour power outage in Soweto. Image: iStock.

SIX TIPS TO MITIGATE AGAINST RISKS CAUSED BY ROLLING BLACKOUTS:

• Make use of surge protection: Electric surges are one of the biggest causes of damage to equipment during a power outage. Installing a surge protection device can help minimise some damage in unforeseen situations. Have a surge protection device fitted to your electrical distribution board or at the power outlet to the electronic device.
• Ensure that your alarm system is working and the backup battery is fully functional to provide power to the system in the event of load shedding.
• Spare torch or headlamp: Keep a torch in your car if you arrive home at night during a power outage. Most smartphones have built-in torch or torch apps, which come in handy during unexpected outages.

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