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As the winter season approaches and temperatures plummet, Eskom is launching a campaign under the theme \u2018Save Your Transformers, Save Lives\u2019.<\/p>\n
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According to the power utility, over 2 000 transformers across the country are overburdened due to illegal connections and tampering, which leads to overloading and explosions.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis situation can result in extended periods without electricity in communities,\u201d the utility said in a statement on Thursday.<\/p>\n
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In the past 12 months, Eskom said it spent over R300 million replacing failed transformers and mini-substations, without any revenue for its efforts.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis threatens the ability to deliver on its mandate to supply quality electricity to its customers.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The call-to-action campaign, Eskom said, urges electricity users to reduce their consumption to ease the load on the power system and prevent related injuries.<\/p>\n
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The utility also warned that several safety incidents and equipment failures are directly linked to these unlawful activities.<\/p>\n
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They, according to Eskom, not only endanger lives but also disrupt supply continuity and cause extensive damage to transformers and related infrastructure.<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, illegal connections, network equipment theft, vandalism, meter bypasses, unauthorised network operations, purchasing electricity from illegal vendors, and indiscriminate electricity use significantly burden network equipment.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAs the load increases, transformers can fail and explode, posing serious safety risks to unsuspecting members of the public, potentially resulting in injuries and fatalities. The failure of transformers, mini-substations, and other equipment also causes great inconvenience to customers, as replacements can take days to months, given the frequency of such damages.\u201d<\/p>\n
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This is the reason that members of the public can contribute to the \u2018Save Your Transformers, Save Lives\u2019 campaign by refraining from illegal connections and promoting responsible energy practices.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis will help protect lives, safeguard property, and maintain the reliability of the electrical infrastructure,\u201d Eskom added. \u2013 SAnews.gov.za<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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