Struggling power utility Eskom has confirmed that sabotage, most likely by its own employees, was behind the breakdowns at the Tutuka power station in Mpumalanga.
Eskom spokesperson Sikhonathi Matshantsha yesterday said this was the fifth incident of sabotage since March 2021.
“Eskom can confirm an incident in which a cable was severed at the Tutuka power station this week while the power station was finalising preparations to return unit 5 to service,” Mantshantsha said.
“Eskom believes these were deliberate acts of sabotage by someone who had access to the site where only employees have access and knows the security features in the area quite well.”
Matshantsha said the damage to the cable had the effect of delaying the unit’s return to service by three days as it took some time to locate the fault.
“Once discovered, the cable was repaired in a short space of time. The return to service of unit 5 was resumed,” he said.
“On the same day, a few hours later, it was again discovered that there was a station control air pressure drop and the same unit 5 turbine systems which consume control air for operation were de-energised.
“It was later discovered that the control air pipe supplying the turbine systems had been cut with a power tool and the entire bend removed.”
The utility has laid criminal charges with the South African Police Service and its forensic team is assisting with the investigation.
