Transformer fire disrupts Eldoraigne substation in Centurion

What happened

Plumes of smoke were reported over the Eldoraigne substation in Centurion on a Saturday afternoon after a transformer caught fire around 14:00. The report was published on 14 May 2024. Firefighters from the Doringkloof Fire Department were sent to the scene, and the City of Tshwane said its firefighters extinguished the blaze. Households were without power for several hours before supply was restored at 18:00 after the electrical team finished work at the substation.

The City reported extensive damage to cabling and said control units were burnt. It said the transformers, panel rooms and panels were not burnt, and that an alternative transformer on site was used so the affected areas could be switched over without overloading the system. The City said the substation was not as badly burnt as the Mooikloof substation, which had caught fire about a month earlier. Areas affected included Wierdapark Ext 1, Celtisdal, Raslouw, Hennops Park and Eldoraigne.

Contributing factors

The City of Tshwane said the cause still had to be determined. It suspected cable vandalism and theft affecting the control cable feeding the transformer, and said this would need to be confirmed once the investigation was complete.

Lessons learned

1. A suspected cause, including cable theft, should stay marked as unconfirmed until the investigation is finished.
2. An alternative transformer on site can allow supply to be switched over without overloading the remaining plant.
3. A clear assessment and switching plan can shorten customer outages after a substation fire.

Source

IOL (iol.co.za)