Update on power outages in George and surrounds

GEORGE NEWS - Following the strong winds experienced earlier this week, municipal electrical teams initially focused on restoring high-voltage and medium-voltage power lines to ensure that critical infrastructure, including water treatment works, wastewater treatment works, and sanitation systems, remained operational.

Teams also assisted with Eskom-related outages where possible.

The Municipality’s electrical personnel have been divided into six teams, each led by a supervisor and consisting of 12 members, to address multiple low-voltage outages across various affected areas in George.

Teams have been restoring substations and implementing quick repairs to reinstate the electricity supply. In several areas, however, poles were damaged, trees fell onto power lines, and infrastructure sustained significant storm damage.

In these instances, restoration takes longer, and power lines are isolated for safety reasons. Members of the public are urged to always treat all power lines as live.

The following process is followed where trees have fallen on power lines:

The line is isolated
The tree is cut and removed
Damaged poles are replaced
Lines are restrung and secured to poles
The line is re-energised

Please note that the re-energising process can take several hours.

George Municipality is aware of several hundred low-voltage complaints affecting individual houses and streets. These are being attended to systematically by the various teams.

Residents who have reported outages and received reference numbers can be assured that their complaints are receiving attention. At this stage, no estimated times of restoration (ETRs) can be provided.

Take note

Wilderness Heights requires a complete rebuild of the network. Teams are on-site today to begin restoring customers.

There is currently no estimated time of restoration.

Power has been restored / partially restored in the following areas

Power is restored in the Glenwood area, NMU George Campus is still off. The line there suffered multiple breaks and is being rebuilt completely.
Dutoit line Geelhoutboom restored.
Modderrivier line: Contractor did survey, will inform later when more of their resources are available
Herold’s Bay line (3 customers). The terrain is very wet farmland with down slopes for crane trucks to enter. Once more resources are available, they will start.
Gelderbloem, Sauer, and Chris, April Street repairs progressing well, vegetation cleared in Glenwood Ave
Shallot Street restored
Denneoord 100% restored
Team currently in Witpeer Street, Heatherlands
Outstanding Myrtle Street, Golden Valley, will be restored this afternoon
Power restored to Victoria Bay Blackwood Area
Victoria Bay Heights ETR 15:30
Rademachers 15:30
Pine Dew: The construction team will start tomorrow morning. ETR 20:00 tomorrow.
Hoekwil - Vegetation Contractor on site.
Wilderness, pole excavation started on the main line. Once operators are available, we will be able to restore 7 transformers in Wilderness Heights
Le Grand Line: restored
Hansmoeskraal, electrician on site to investigate.
Oubaai en Le Grand Estate restored

Areas still without power

The following customers and areas remain without electricity due to broken poles, damaged overhead feeder lines, and difficult terrain:

Heather Park remains without power due to broken poles (David Murray, Airway, Cypress, Protea, Willow, Pine, Cluster streets)
Turn off at Blue Whale remains off.
Zone 8, Thembalethu
Pacaltsdorp (Back Street, Heather Road)
New Dawn Park (Aaron Street)
Rosemoor (MS Miller Street)
Blanco (Maitland, George Road, Montagu, Die Rus, Du Plessis, Golden Valley Streets) are still without power.
George CBD (Newton Street)
Glenwood Avenue remains without power due to broken poles and damaged lines
Qawa Substation in Thembalethu remains offline due to overloading problems. Teams will continue with storm damage repairs this morning
Bo Dorp (Pollie Gerber Street)
Ballotsview, teams regrouped this morning to continue attending to outages in surrounding areas
Portions of Victoria Bay
Wilderness Heights
Hoekwil
Kleinkrantz Plakkers
Portions of Pine Dew
Elvis Blue
Nursery
Farmers’ Labourers’ Cottages
Strawberry Farm
Farmlands
Woodlands / Du Toit line

Please note
Service providers (local contractors) are currently assisting various municipalities across the Garden Route with storm-related electricity repairs. This may impact the progress of repair and electrification work within the George municipal area.

Contact information

Telephone lines are currently experiencing high call volumes. If the phone rings without being answered immediately, this does not mean calls are being ignored; the system operates on a call-waiting basis.

Please also note that calls may occasionally drop due to network congestion, which is a broader issue currently affecting George.