Question NW4071 to the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity
04 January 2024 - NW4071
Van Zyl, Ms A M to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity
(1)Whether there is a maintenance plan in place for the Eskom’s farm lines for Venterstad, Oviston and Steynsburg in the Eastern Cape; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of the plan; (2) whether he has been informed that when there are power outages the specified farm areas and towns are left without power for more than five days; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the reasons that it takes Eskom so long to fix the lines; (3) whether his department will provide a new maintenance plan and time frame to ensure that the lines are investigated to pick up defects; if not, why not; if so, on what date?
Reply:
1. Steynsburg Town and the surrounding farming areas are fed from the Bulhoek Steynsburg 22kV overhead power line. This is an Eskom Eastern Cape electricity network. This network is 205 km in length and is maintained yearly by Eskom.
Eskom is aware of a couple of prolonged power line faults in the area in the last year up to now. The inspections and defects clearing described above are part of a mitigation strategy which is aimed at reducing such incidents.
Power line inspections are carried out yearly and defects picked up are cleared by Eskom maintenance teams. The next maintenance event emanating from this year’s already-completed power line inspections for the power line supplying the Steynsburg area is planned for February 2024.
2. Venterstad, Oviston Town and the surrounding farming areas are fed from Badsfontein Venterstad's 11kV overhead power line. This is an Eskom Northern Cape electricity network. This network is 139.92 km in length and is maintained yearly by Eskom.
The inspections are carried out annually and defects picked up are cleared by Eskom maintenance teams. Eskom is aware of thirteen (13) power line faults in the area thus far this year.
Five (5) of the thirteen (13) line faults affecting the Venterstad and Oviston areas are considered long-duration faults with the longest lasting for two days. Inspections of the power line have been completed and next the planned maintenance event for the power line supplying the Venterstad and Oviston areas is scheduled for 22 February 2024.
3. The inspections and defects clearing described above are part of a mitigation strategy which is aimed at reducing such incidents. It is in our interest to make sure we provide the customers in these areas with reliable power supply taking into consideration their farming, commercial and residential activities