City Power reclaims energy control with John Ware power station

City Power has declared a critical milestone in Johannesburg’s push for energy autonomy with the revival of the John Ware Open Cycle Gas Turbine Power Station.

According to the utility, the recommissioning of the John Ware facility comes as part of City Power’s aggressive 10-point plan to reduce the city’s vulnerability to national load shedding and improve energy resilience in Gauteng.

City Power on Monday added that the John Ware facility stands as “a symbol of our commitment to making sure that the city remains energy secure”.

“This is about taking control of our own energy destiny,” it said.

Breaking free from Eskom’s grip

The John Ware power station was left vandalised and inoperable after the 2010 Fifa World Cup and now has been brought back to life through a focused refurbishment campaign.

The station is now one of three generation sites, alongside Durban Street and Cottesloe, that will collectively contribute 150MW of capacity to the Johannesburg grid.

The move represents a significant shift in municipal energy planning, with City Power taking on generation responsibilities traditionally left to Eskom.

“We developed the 10-point plan to respond directly to the country’s energy challenges. That includes developing our own generation capacity, which we are delivering on,” the utility said.

During commissioning, each of the two 25MW turbines at John Ware successfully generated 18MW, or 72% of capacity, despite limited diesel supplies.

“This dispels the false notion and inaccurate claims that the site generates less than 10MW,” the statement said.

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Engineering a resilient energy backbone

Refurbishment works included major upgrades to fuel infrastructure, electrical systems and mechanical operations.

City Power restored damaged fuel tanks, laid new pipelines and replaced key gauges and valves.

Electrical work featured new high-capacity cabling, switch gear refurbishment and transformer protection enhancements.

City Power invested in advanced grid management technologies, including a centralised Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (Scada) system and smart meters.

“We are building a smart, modernised grid that can respond rapidly to faults and enable more efficient energy supply management,” the utility said.

This includes a robust data centre platform designed to support multiple critical systems like Scada,
tele-protection and voice communications, ensuring secure and uninterrupted service.

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Energy resilience where it’s needed most

The utility further implemented solar PV systems on public buildings, health facilities and schools to ensure critical services continue during load shedding.

Micro-grids and solar public lighting projects are also underway to lighten the load on the main grid.

“These efforts directly respond to the real-world impact of national power constraints on municipal service delivery,” City Power said.

City Power’s re-entry into power generation signifies more than just infrastructure repair, it reflects a broader political and operational intention to localise energy governance.

“By investing in infrastructure like John Ware, we are building a foundation for Gauteng’s economic resilience,” the utility added.

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