Parts of Limpopo to be affected by a 11-hour power outage

Eskom has confirmed that areas supplied by the Vaalwater and Dorset substations in Limpopo will experience an 11-hour power outage on Wednesday, 1 May, due to emergency maintenance on the Nylstroom-Vaalwater 66kv line. The outage is scheduled from 9:00 to 20:00 and will affect Vaalwater Town, Vaalwater Township, and neighbouring farms.

The power utility said this action is necessary to ensure the reliability of supply and to prevent potential long-term disruptions.

“The safety and well-being of our community and customers are paramount, and we urge all customers to treat all electrical connections as live during this period,” Eskom said in a statement.

It also asked customers not to log faults during the power outage.

Eskom maintenance amid system improvements

The emergency work comes as Eskom continues with its broader maintenance programme ahead of the winter season.

“Planned maintenance continues to ensure system readiness for increased winter demand, to meet regulatory requirements and to ensure environmental compliance,” the utility said.

Over the first 24 days of April 2025, Eskom placed 7 164MW under planned maintenance, amounting to 15.32% of total generation capacity—an increase from last year’s 11.52%. At the same time, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) has improved to 27.82%, a drop of about 2.1% from the same period in 2024.

Progress and fuel usage

Eskom noted that between 18 and 24 April, average unplanned power outages dropped to 13 430MW, 472MW less than last year.

Eskom also revealed that it had spent about R2.19 billion year-to-date on fuel for Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTS), generating 372.05 GWh—more than double the output in 2024. The utility expects this fuel usage to decrease as maintenance slows down over winter.

Do you believe Eskom is doing enough to prepare for winter and reduce unplanned outages?

Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.

Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.