The Eskom power system in the Eastern Cape tripped due to torrential weather experienced in the region on Saturday.
Eastern Cape regions without power due to system outage
On Saturday evening, Eskom issued a statement confirming interruptions in the electricity supply across various parts of the Eastern Cape.
The adverse weather conditions have primarily impacted areas within the Alfred Nzo, Amathole, Chris Hani, and OR Tambo District Municipalities.
“Eskom’s technical team is actively addressing these faults, working diligently to restore power supply,” the utility noted.
The national electricity supplier urged affected customers to exercise patience during this period and “to treat all electricity appliances as live during this time.”
However, the continuing rainfall is anticipated to extend the restoration timeframe, as technicians may find it challenging to access certain sites, Eskom added.
A notable challenge has emerged at the Butterworth Substation, where a transformer failure has disrupted electricity supply, extending to areas like Centane.
“Eskom is appealing to customers in the area to reduce their consumption as low voltage may impact some customers, especially during morning and evening peak times,” the state-owned entity pleaded.
Eastern Cape weather forecast for Sunday, 22 October 2023
The weather forecast for the Eastern Cape on Sunday, 22 October 2023, indicates an Orange Level 6 warning for disruptive rain, expected to cause flooding, pose dangers to life, and damage properties along the east coast and adjacent interior, as well as the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Additionally, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rain for the Midlands of KZN and the interior of the Eastern Cape, except in the extreme north-eastern parts.
This disruptive rain could lead to localised flooding, posing danger to life and causing property damage.
In the western half of the Eastern Cape, the weather is expected to be cloudy and cool with isolated showers in the morning, turning partly cloudy in the afternoon.
While in the eastern half, it will be cloudy and cold with scattered showers, particularly widespread along the Wild Coast, becoming partly cloudy in the north from the afternoon.
The wind along the coast will shift from a moderate to fresh south-easterly to a light north-easterly as the day progresses.