NMBM Emergency Measures to Restore Power after Tower Collapse

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) has decisively responded to crippling power outages caused by the recent collapse of four key transmission towers. The towers, critical conduits in the electricity network spanning the Chelsea, Arlington, and Summerstrand Substations, succumbed to gale-force winds on the 21st of August, 2024, exacerbated by underlying corrosion.

In an urgent bid to rectify the power supply disruptions, the NMBM's Joint Operations Centre (JOC) approved immediate interventions. One such measure includes a partnership with South Africa's power utility, Eskom, to construct supplementary steel mono pole structures. These structures are intended to enhance the existing by-pass line by connecting it to the Chelsea power line, resulting in a significantly expedited restoration of electricity services, preceding the initial two-week prognosis.

Complementary actions are being undertaken, with the NMBM's overhead construction team and emergency contractors working tirelessly to erect temporary alternative overhead lines linked to the Summerstrand power line, aimed at reinstating power supply expeditiously.

Sithembiso Soyaya, spokesperson for the NMBM, addressed the media, detailing the extensive emergency procurement of generators as part of the strategy to mitigate the outages' impact, particularly concerning essential services. Power supply continuity is critical, hence the swift relocation and installation of a 10 MVA transformer from Kwaford to the South End substation, effectively augmenting power provision for Southend residents and nearby locales impacted by the outages.

Soyaya affirmed that the municipality has mobilized all available resources to overcome the crisis, with completion of the emergency measures scheduled for the 27th of August, 2024. Looking ahead, NMBM is actively securing the power network's resilience by planning for the reconstruction of the affected structures within the 2024/2025 fiscal year, an assertion of their commitment to sustainable and robust infrastructure.