Transformer fire at Heatherley substation cuts power in eastern Pretoria
Feb 2026Published 7 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): City of Tshwane
What happened
On the night of Thursday 12 February 2026, Transformer C at the Heatherley Substation in eastern Pretoria burned, and residents reported hearing an explosion. Power went off shortly after 22:00. The City of Tshwane confirmed that the transformer had burned and said a team had been assigned to attend to the damage. The affected areas included Nellmapius Extensions 3, 6, 7, 8 and 22, Pinnaarspoort, Savannah Estate, Greencreek and The Blyde.
No estimated time of restoration was available at the time of publication, and residents and businesses were told to prepare for severe power shortages and possible extended outages. A local ward councillor said the transformer was relatively new and that this was the second incident at the facility in recent months. He said small businesses in the township were particularly affected because food was going to waste.
Contributing factors
A ward councillor said the substation was struck by lightning and that the lightning protectors at the site were not in good use, and that such equipment needs regular checks. These statements come from the councillor and the source does not confirm them. The metro had not stated a cause in the source.
Lessons learned
- Lightning protection at substations should be inspected and maintained on a fixed schedule, with the results recorded.
- A repeat failure at the same facility in a short period should trigger a review of its protection and the condition of its equipment.
- Operators should plan backfeed or alternative supply routes for residential and small business areas so that restoration does not depend on a single transformer.
More lessons on weather and external hazards, electrical protection and isolation, outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.
Source
Published 2026-11-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
