Residents in Fairland’s Market Street area have been relying on a temporary generator for several months, after a damaged mini-substation left the community without a permanent electricity solution.

Ward 89 councillor Zander Shawe said the generator has been supplying power since February 18, but the prolonged reliance on the temporary measure has created challenges for residents. Shawe said the lack of communication from City Power has made it difficult to provide residents with updates about when the damaged mini-substation will be replaced. He said the generator has also created practical problems for the community, including high diesel costs, noise, pollution, and traffic disruptions. “The generator needs to be filled regularly, residents are also subjected to traffic because the generator is in one lane.”

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He questioned the financial impact of running the generator continuously instead of replacing the damaged infrastructure, saying a permanent solution was needed as soon as possible.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed that a generator has been supplying electricity to customers in the Market Street area following the failure of a mini-substation. Mangena said investigations found that the mini-substation suffered extensive damage after the transformer burnt on the medium-voltage side, with terminations destroyed due to overcurrent caused by network overloading. He said the unit could not be repaired and requires complete replacement.

According to Mangena, City Power deployed the generator as an interim measure to prevent a prolonged power interruption while arrangements for replacement infrastructure are being finalised. He said the delay was linked to a shortage of available mini-substations across Johannesburg due to increased demand caused by infrastructure failures, network overloading, theft, and vandalism. Mangena said City Power is working through supply chain processes to secure replacement equipment, but could not provide a confirmed installation date because of procurement lead times and the specialised nature of the infrastructure.

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He said the generator currently costs approximately R20 000 per day in fuel and operational expenses, while a new mini-substation costs about R800 000, excluding labour, transport, installation, and related network work. However, Mangena said the issue was not only financial; it was also the availability of replacement equipment. “Without available stock, the generator remains the only viable option to maintain electricity supply and minimise disruption to residents and businesses.”

City Power acknowledged residents’ frustration over the extended use of the generator and said updates would be provided once replacement infrastructure has been secured and an installation timeline confirmed.

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