Dear Community
Update 14 March 2024 @ 07:30
At the onset, we wish to thank each and every Frankfort resident for all your support and understanding in this very difficult time, electricity speaking.
We should know better sometime over the weekend or early next week, what the status of the failed Eskom transformer is. Can it be repaired on-site or will the transformer have to be removed and a replacement sourced by Eskom. We will let you know (good or bad) when we are informed by Eskom.
We would also at this time wish to share some information with you, for you to better understand RFS’s action plan:
We need to protect the sole remaining transformer at all costs.
To do so, we must keep to a minimum any big instantaneous inrush currents associated with switching big equipment on and off.
The reason why the town seems largely unaffected since the restoration of partial power on Tuesday afternoon pertains to the fact that our large users have remained without power so that we can monitor network performance first and consider the relatively safe operation of the thousands of small users which smaller loads are easier and safer to monitor before we add further loads not so easily switched, back onto the grid which grid is now being supplied by one transformer only.
We especially wish to thank VKB and 6 Star for their understanding and for putting the entire community first. A much-reduced amount of electricity will also be made available to them outside of peak hours.
Electricity to all municipal water pumps, processing facilities and sewer infrastructure is being kept uninterrupted so that there are no further unintended consequences for the town and its residents. We are sure the municipal staff are doing their best to keep the water flowing 24/7.
Please remember, we have had to reduce our allocated capacity from in excess of 9MVA to 3.5MVA. We will have to shed load on a rotational basis as and when the load increases to critical levels. We will then only shed load as required in small pockets and NOT entire zones. In other words, we will only switch off what is required to keep the transformer safe. If you are part of a small pocket being switched off, you will remain off for 1h30 minutes. Please also remember, the 1h30 minutes can commence at any time and not necessarily at the top of any hour. We therefore cannot give you a roster.
We hope to provide you with more positive news soon.
Regards,
GV Mokoena
General Manager