Eskom has noted an increase in homes and other structures being built under high voltage power lines and within power line servitudes. This contravenes Eskom regulations and poses serious safety risks. Eskom is appealing to businesses and the public to stop building within its servitude reserves.
A scrapyard operating beneath a high voltage line – this puts people and property at serious risk.
The land below and adjacent to a power line is defined as a servitude. The servitude belongs to the respective landowner in that area, whether a public or private entity, but Eskom has sole right to the land as it must maintain and fix that powerline from time to time.
“The common belief that power lines are harmless because of their size and distance from the ground needs to be corrected. It is challenging to ensure the safety of those who live within power line servitudes, and residents are prohibited from doing so to protect the safety of communities,” says Miranda Moahlodi, Senior Corporate Manager for Occupational Hygiene and Safety at Eskom.
Electricity transmitted or distributed on power lines can be up to 765 000 volts. A fault anywhere on the power line can cause very high current to flow down to the ground. If anyone is close to the line, the current can flow through the person and it would be fatal - killing him or her. Furthermore, a line may break due to strong winds or stormy weather and strike a shack, a house, some other building, or anyone in the vicinity, and this could kill or seriously hurt the people living or working there.
Eskom also notes there have been incidents where people living so close to power lines have been injured due to metal objects that have come into contact with live electricity. Metal is a good conductor of electricity and it presents the possibility of an arc to a shack built within a power line servitude. If lightning hits the line, as it does in many cases due to the height of the power lines, a flashover of electricity can occur to the homes in the servitude.
“If Chiefs or traditional authorities want to give pieces of land to their people and these stands are close to an Eskom servitude, they must speak to the local Eskom office. The traditional leaders and Eskom can together make sure that all the people are allocated land away from the power lines, ensuring their safety,” Moahlodi adds. “Equally, developers must ensure that the required clearance is maintained when access roads are built crossing power line servitudes.”
Beyond the direct safety issues this can cause, building close to and/or under power lines makes it difficult for Eskom to conduct infrastructure inspections, which can affect the supply of power in an area and hinder the early detection of issues that could cause major damage. Often too, Eskom staff need to remove or replace equipment when they maintain or strengthen the lines, and that equipment, which is often heavy, could fall on the dwellings or people below the line. Eskom uses various types of machinery to maintain its power lines, including big trucks, which require enough space to access the structure. It also uses helicopters to perform live line maintenance, and this becomes risky to people living under the lines.
“We hope the public will heed this call and assist us by building only in designated areas that have been approved by the local municipality and government. We will continue to educate communities about electricity safety – to ensure we all use electricity safely and responsibly,” Moahlodi concludes.
For more information visit: www.eskom.co.za
