ELM explained on their Facebook page on 16 June already that the municipality is currently experiencing capacity constraints at the Town Substation in Currie Boulevard. The substation feeds Bophelong, Bophelong Extensions, Stephanopark, Bonanne, CW Areas and parts of NW 7 with electricity.

It is not certain if this is also the cause of electricity problems currently experienced in SE2.

But the overloading experienced at the substation has damaged several pole-mounted transformers in Bophelong Extensions. ELM Electricity Department has replaced more than eight (8) pole mounted transformers in Bophelong Extensions over the past two (2) weeks, at the cost of over R600 000, with four (4) more transformers still to be replaced in Extensions 2, 5, 17 and 18.

The municipality also noted that Bophelong Extensions 15 and 16 are experiencing a power outage due to a fault, however, a team of technicians cannot be dispatched to investigate the cause citing safety reasons owing to ongoing community unrest in the area. Technicians will be sent to the affected Extensions for fault finding and power supply restoration once it is safe to do so.

ELM stated that they are increasingly losing significant revenue in the replacement of pole-mounted transformers and as a result, the electricity department will urgently conduct meter audits in all Extensions experiencing overloads. In addition, the installation of prepaid meters will commence prior to the replacement of any faulty/damaged transformer.