09/06/2026
POWER OUTAGE UPDATE – CHATTY SUBSTATION
Tuesday, 09 June 2026
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality would like to provide residents with an update regarding the electricity outage caused by the tripping of the Ditchling No. 1 and No. 2 132kV breakers at the Chatty Substation.
Following an investigation, it was determined that the outage was caused by a TLB that made contact with the overhead lines in the Swartkops area, resulting in damage to the network and the eventual failure of the line.
Since the incident occurred, municipal electricity teams have been working around the clock to restore supply and minimise the impact on residents, businesses and essential services. Through strategic backfeeding and network reconfiguration, approximately 80% of the areas affected by the outage have already had their electricity supply restored.
Electricity supply has successfully been restored to much of the Central Gqeberha network, including the North End area, the inner city and the Central Business District (CBD).
The remaining affected area is the Ibhayi-Struandale supply network, where technical teams are currently carrying out isolation procedures to enable safe backfeeding through an alternative line. This work is being undertaken with urgency to restore power to all remaining customers as soon as possible.
The Municipality understands the frustration and inconvenience that prolonged power outages cause for households, businesses and community facilities. We sincerely thank residents for their patience, understanding and cooperation while our teams continue to work under challenging conditions to restore supply safely and efficiently.
Further updates will be communicated as restoration work progresses.
Contact Details:
* 041 585 1555 (NMBM Emergency Response Number)
* 079 490 0480 (NMBM Safety and Security WhatsApp Number)
* 10111 (SAPS)
* 041 506 5595 (NMBM Electricity and Energy)
