Recovery Efforts Continue: JB Marks Technical Teams Target Remaining Outages
- Karen Scheepers
- Mar 24
- 2 min read
The electrical crisis that began yesterday in the JB Marks Local Municipality continues into Tuesday, March 24, 2026. While significant progress has been made on the primary infrastructure failure, the municipality has confirmed that several residential areas remain without power as technicians navigate a complex web of interconnected faults.
Clarification on Affected Areas
Municipal officials have clarified that the current outages in Suiddorp, Miederpark, and Central (Sentraal) are not part of a new, separate crisis. Instead, these represent persistent issues on the municipal side of the network that have become apparent as the grid is being stabilized.
Electricians are currently on-site in these specific neighborhoods. The technical team has assured residents that these localized "JBM-side" faults are being prioritized and will be resolved as part of the broader restoration strategy.
Progress Report: The 132kV High-Voltage Line
The core of the crisis remains the damaged 132kV high-voltage line. Overnight, crews successfully tackled the most hazardous portion of the repair: managing a line that had snapped and fallen across multiple other live conductors.
The Electrical Department described this phase as a "difficult task" due to the extreme safety risks involved. However, the majority of the heavy lifting on the ground and mid-level infrastructure has now been completed.
Final Phase: Sourcing High-Altitude Equipment
The final barrier to full restoration is the height of the remaining repairs. The municipality has confirmed that the work requires a specialized crane with a 40-meter reach to allow technicians to safely access the highest points of the 132kV pylon.
Status: The municipality is currently in the process of sourcing this specific crane.
Next Steps: Once the equipment arrives, teams will begin the final overhead reconnections.
Timeline: While a definitive "lights-on" time has not been set, the sourcing of the crane is being handled as an emergency procurement to minimize further delays.
The JB Marks Municipality extends its gratitude to the community for their continued patience during this extended outage. Residents are reminded to keep all appliances switched off to prevent a massive "cold load" trip when the power is eventually reintroduced to the system.
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