Residential trees affecting power supply – City Power
“We also need to be clear and tough with those who refuse us to cut trees in their yards, we will use the law if need be to ensure by-laws are respected.”
Following extensive power outages in the Greenstone area, City Power will embark on a three-week-long programme to patrol and clear electricity line servitudes of any encroaching objects.
This was decided on April 15 when MMC for environment infrastructure services Clr Mpho Moerane, Section 79 chairperson Clr Matshidiso Mfikoe, City Power CEO Mongezi Ntsokolo and board representatives visited Sebenza and Westfield substations.
Isaac Mangena, City Power spokesperson, said the visit was scheduled after investigations were conducted by City Power into the cause of the frequent outages affecting the north-eastern corridors, especially the Greenstone area.
He said investigations found that, while most of the outages were due to vandalism and cable theft, several were due to the faults on the overhead lines caused by the encroaching objects including trees and buildings.
“The area of Greenstone, which has 6 043 business and residential customers, is supplied from Westfield substation, which is fed from Sebenza substation,” said Mangena.
“At least 25 outages have been recorded from Westfield substation since the beginning of the year, with the most recent one on April 11.”
An investigation, started early this year, discovered that most trees interfering with power transmission were in private homes, especially around Senderwood, Sandringham, Bedfordview, Sandton and Morningside where access was often denied.
Some houses are also built under the transmission lines in areas like Alexandra and Morningside, Sandton.
“There shouldn’t be any excuses about what needs to happen after this,” said Moerane.
“I have directed the CEO to embark on a three-week programme to ensure the servitudes are cleared. “We also need to be clear and tough with those who refuse us to cut trees in their yards, we will use the law if need be to ensure by-laws are respected. “No one is allowed to build a structure or plant trees under the lines. It’s not only dangerous, but as seen recently, it poses a huge risk to our network leading to frequent outages.”
Ntsokolo said: “As a new CEO, I am going to prioritise this and ensure we address it once and for all. “I have ordered my team to do a blanket programme to clear all the servitudes, starting with the one affecting Greenstone.”
Ntsokolo said City Power will review its service level agreement with City Parks and work to improve it so there is frequent monitoring and clearing of the servitudes.
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“We humbly urge the community to corporate with our teams in the next three weeks and allow access in areas where the trees are in a private property.”
Mangena said City Power will increase security patrols in the area of Greenstone and have requested JMPD and SAPS to assist as well. He urged community members to help curb the theft of cables by reporting criminal or suspicious activity and any acts of vandalism.
“Theft and vandalism have had a disruptive effect on the lives of the residents and the economy, especially during this time of Covid-19.”
Mangena said awareness campaigns will be intensified to educate communities against the dangers of building under the servitudes as this contravenes by-laws.
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