By Nangamso Mabindla
26 April 2006

BUFFALO City last night urged residents to be more economical in using electricity, as the City was still busy with repairs following an explosion at the Chislehurst substation earlier in the week.

Speaking at the first council meeting on 25 April, the City's director for engineering services, Shaun Peard, urged residents to turn off their geysers between 5pm and 7pm. He also people to switch off office air conditioners.

"Power is fed to the suburbs from the Nahoon and Arcadia substations and the load needs to be shed for the electricity supply to be efficient; that is why we are making this plea," Peard said.

The City's senior communications officer Mamnkeli Ngam said work was continuing to clear the area. Preliminary investigations indicated the exposition was caused by equipment malfunction, Ngam said.

"The Buffalo City municipality undertakes to ensure that electricity supply to all consumers is restored without any further inconvenience," Ngam said. In the interim, other sub stations would be used to supply power.