City Power has launched a citywide maintenance drive to strengthen Johannesburg’s electricity network and prevent future blackouts. The planned power outage, which started on Tuesday, 21 October, will run until Sunday, 26 October. Each affected area will experience power cuts lasting up to eight hours as crews upgrade aging substations and replace failing equipment. Thousands of households and businesses are expected to be affected.
City Power said the maintenance forms part of a long-term plan to stabilize supply and prevent the breakdowns that have plagued several suburbs. The utility described the project as an essential step toward a safer, more reliable grid for Johannesburg.
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Midrand Kicks off The Maintenance Program
Technicians began the week in Region A, upgrading the Church Street switching station in Midrand between 9am and 5pm. Power was cut along King Avenue, Queen Avenue, Jubilee Street and Turbot Street.
City Power said Midrand’s rapid development has overloaded some of its substations. Replacing worn cables and transformers, the team explained, will ease pressure on the system and prevent the faults that cause frequent trips in the area.
Eastern Suburbs Face Wednesday Outage
On Wednesday, 22 October, maintenance teams moved to the Gresswold Substation in Region E, which powers large sections of the eastern suburbs.
The eight-hour outage affected the Alexandra Service Delivery Centre and nearby areas such as Kew, Lyndhurst, Athol, Sunningdale, Glenhazel, Bramley Park, Bramley View, Rembrandt Park and Glenhazel South.
City Power urged residents to unplug appliances before power returned to avoid damage. The utility said scheduled maintenance like this helps prevent major failures during peak-use periods.
Thursday Brings Triple Maintenance Blitz
Thursday, 23 October, was the busiest day on the calendar. Three separate operations took place across Johannesburg.
In Midrand, crews shut down the Anton Hartman switching station from 9am to 5pm, affecting Vorna Valley and streets including Albertyn, Kanarie, Swiss Club, Hoogenhout, Sparrow, Arend, Bosduif and Roben.
In Alexandra’s Eastbank, power went down along 18th Avenue, Hoffmeyer Road and Canary Lane for most of the day.
The inner city also felt the impact. The Bree Substation in Region F underwent repairs from 8am to 4pm, cutting supply to the FNB Bank City buildings.
Many small business owners in the CBD said the timing was difficult but acknowledged that the short-term sacrifice could prevent future load interruptions.
Friday Work Targets Roodepoort and Midrand
Maintenance continued on Friday, 24 October, in Roodepoort and Midrand.
In Roodepoort, technicians took the Christian De Wet Switching Station offline from 8am to 4pm, cutting supply to Boothills SWS, Panorama, Rhinoceros SWS and Ridge SWS.
In Midrand, crews worked at the Halfway House switching station from 9am to 5pm, affecting Allandale Road and Private Road.
City Power said the upgrades were timed ahead of the summer storm season, when lightning and heavy rain often trigger outages.
Roodepoort Prepares for Sunday’s Major Shutdown
The largest interruption will occur on Sunday, 26 October, when City Power upgrades the Manufacta Substation in Region C.
From 8am to 4pm, areas such as Manufacta, Roodepoort West, Technikon, Lindhaven Extensions 1 and 6, Roodepoort West Extensions 2 and 4, Princess AH and Reefhaven will be without power.
Residents have been encouraged to plan for the outage. Many said they supported the move, hoping it would finally bring stability after months of intermittent faults.
Residents Urged to Stay Alert and Unplug Appliances
City Power has warned that electricity could return earlier than scheduled. It asked residents to treat all outlets as live during the maintenance period and to keep appliances unplugged until supply stabilises.
The utility thanked Johannesburg residents for their patience, saying cooperation helps technicians complete work faster and more safely.
Why The Upgrades are Critical
Johannesburg’s electrical network is under pressure. Rapid urban growth has outpaced the capacity of many substations, while older infrastructure struggles to handle modern demand.
Routine maintenance helps prevent blown transformers, damaged cables and large-scale blackouts. Energy specialists say completing these upgrades before the rainy season is crucial because storms and lightning regularly damage exposed lines. Strengthening the system now makes it more resilient when severe weather hits.
Building a Smarter and Cleaner Grid
City Power is also moving toward a smarter and more sustainable energy network. The utility has started rolling out smart-grid technology and solar-assisted systems to reduce dependence on Eskom and improve energy efficiency.
Smart meters are already in use in select suburbs, giving technicians real-time data on electricity use and allowing them to detect faults more quickly. If expanded across Johannesburg, the system could shorten response times and make power restoration faster and more predictable.
How to Prepare for Outages
Residents can reduce disruption by following a few key steps:
- Check City Power’s website and social pages for daily updates.
- Unplug appliances before maintenance starts and reconnect only once power is fully restored.
- Report cable theft or illegal connections to help prevent avoidable outages.
- Keep backup lighting, rechargeable lamps or small UPS units ready for routers and phones.
Lighting The Way Forward
This week’s maintenance may bring inconvenience, but it marks an important step toward a stronger, more reliable Johannesburg. By investing in infrastructure now, City Power aims to protect residents from sudden blackouts later.
Every repaired cable and upgraded substation pushes the city closer to a power network that can keep pace with its growth, ensuring that Johannesburg continues to shine: bright, connected, and resilient.
