Eskom announces 14-hour planned power outage for Eastern Cape

Eskom has confirmed a planned electricity supply interruption that will affect customers in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality and Sunday’s River Valley Local Municipality next month.

The power utility has scheduled the maintenance outage for 12 March, with an alternative date set for 19 March. Also, the interruption will run from 5:00 to 19:00, resulting in a 14-hour blackout in several towns and surrounding areas.

Areas set to be affected by the power outage

According to the notice, the planned maintenance will interrupt the electricity supply in multiple communities across the two municipalities. Additionally, areas expected to experience the outage include Kirkwood town, Kirkwood Prison, Glenconner, Bluecliff, Steytlerville, Vuyolwethu, Kleinpoort, Moses Mabhida, Wesbank, Wolfontein, Addo Park, Valencia, Paterson, Langbos, Jansenville, Besheba, Enon and Dunbrody.

“Eskom would like to inform customers in Nelson Mandela Bay and Sunday’s River Valley Municipalities of a planned maintenance outage scheduled for 12 March 2026 (alternative date: 19 March 2026) from 5:00 to 19:00,” said Eskom.

Furthermore, residents and businesses in these areas will need to prepare for a full-day interruption of electricity services. The utility has urged customers to treat all electrical appliances as live during the power outage period, as power may be restored without prior notice.

Maintenance to strengthen network

Eskom emphasised that the shutdown forms part of essential infrastructure maintenance. The utility explained that the work aims to improve the stability and long-term performance of the electricity network in the region.

“Maintenance is critical to ensure the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the electricity network,” Eskom said in its notice.

The power utility regularly implements planned outages to conduct repairs, upgrade equipment and prevent unplanned breakdowns that could result in longer disruptions.

Apology to customers

Eskom acknowledged the inconvenience that the interruption may cause to households, schools, healthcare facilities and local businesses.

Furthermore, the utility said, “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and kindly request your patience as our teams prepare for and carry out this work.”

Residents are encouraged to plan by charging essential devices, securing backup power where possible and making necessary arrangements for the scheduled downtime.