Maseru, Jul. 15 — Following the public outcry on recent electricity outage, the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) has assured the public that the short alternating power interruptions currently being experienced in different parts of the country are temporary and are linked to scheduled maintenance work being carried out by South Africa’s Eskom on transmission lines supplying electricity to Lesotho.
Speaking in an interview, LEC Public Relations Officer Mr. Tsépang Ledia said the maintenance began on July 4 and is expected to be completed on Friday.
He explained that the interruptions are necessary to allow Eskom to safely carry out maintenance on the transmission network that delivers electricity to Lesotho.
Mr. Ledia said the affected areas will experience short alternating power, meaning electricity will be switched off temporarily in different locations at different times rather than the entire country losing power at once.
He noted that these outages are expected to last no longer than one hour in each affected area before power is restored and another area is affected if necessary.
He said this rotational approach helps reduce the impact on electricity consumers while ensuring that essential maintenance work is completed to maintain the reliability and safety of the power supply system.
Mr. Ledia has therefore appealed to the public to remain calm and patient during the maintenance period, assuring consumers that the interruptions are planned and temporary.
He added that normal electricity supply is expected to resume once Eskom completes the maintenance work on Friday.
Short alternating power interruptions, also known as rotational outages, are commonly used during planned maintenance to protect the electricity network and ensure the safe operation of transmission infrastructure while minimising prolonged disruptions to customers.
Ends/KP
