eThekwini implements rolling load reduction after Kloof Substation circuit fault

A combination of cold weather and an electrical fault has forced eThekwini Municipality to implement load reduction in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, after one of two incoming supply circuits feeding the Kloof Substation failed.

The municipality said on Wednesday that the substation is currently running on a single supply circuit, placing additional strain on the network as electricity demand climbs during the province's cold spell. It said the surge in demand caused by the cold weather has placed further pressure on the remaining circuit.

The fault comes as KwaZulu-Natal continues to deal with severe winter conditions, which have already caused snow-related road closures and transport disruptions elsewhere in the province.

To prevent the remaining transformer from being overloaded, the municipality said around two megawatts of load would be shed at a time, with the reduction rotated every two hours until 10pm on Wednesday. It said the measure may continue into Thursday, depending on network conditions and progress on repairs.

The areas affected are Chelmsfordville, Forest Hills, Kloof, Krantzkloof and Padfield Park.

Officials said the load reduction became necessary once one of the substation's two incoming supply circuits failed, leaving it vulnerable to overloads during periods of peak demand. Teams are assessing whether load can be redistributed to other substations in the area while fault-finding and repair work continues on the affected circuit.

The municipality apologised for the inconvenience and thanked residents for their patience while technicians work to stabilise the network and restore normal electricity supply.