Johannesburg Central CBD: power restoration remains partial
City Power reports further reconnections in parts of Johannesburg’s Central CBD after the Central tunnel fire of 26 September. Its latest checked area notice reports additional customers on Alberts West restored, while other reconnections remain targets. Complete CBD restoration has not been verified.
Status of this incident
Current status unconfirmed
Last known status: partly restored · City Power reports further reconnections; complete CBD restoration remains unconfirmed.
Source moment: Oct 6, 2026, 03:24 PM UTC (05:24 PM local time)
In 20 seconds
Additional Alberts West customers are reported restored by City Power.
The 65% supply figure belongs to the 5 October update, not a current total.
Full restoration on 8 October remains conditional on successful work.
Latest reported progress
The later 6 October notice reports additional customers on Alberts West restored. It targets Wemmer East/West and Fox West for that night, without a precise hour. Rand Daily Mail, Selby Central/East/West and Commissioner West are listed for 8 October if all goes to plan. These are attributed targets, not verified restoration outcomes for those sections.
An earlier written statement on 6 October reported overnight restoration on four distributors supplying Marshall Street West/East, End Street, Anderson Street, Main Street, Grahamstown, Standard Bank and Carlton Centre. It gave no updated overall percentage. Street and facility names provide the operator’s reported scope, rather than proof of supply at every address.
What the sources tell us, and what they do not
- Area
- Parts of Johannesburg CBD and inner city around Central Substation
- Reported impact
- Partial restoration reported by City Power
- Affected connections
- Total affected customers unknown
- Restoration timing
- 8 October target, conditional on repairs, testing and safety checks
Dated figures and remaining work
City Power reported approximately 65% of affected Central CBD electricity supply restored on 5 October. The percentage describes supply in that dated statement; it is not a count of customers or people. The later updates do not supply a replacement percentage, so it cannot be presented as the current restored share.
The earlier 6 October statement listed remaining work at Commissioner Street West/East, Selby East, Albert Street West, Fox Street West and Anderson Street East, with progressive reconnection after safety checks. The latest notice uses Alberts West for its additional restoration report. The source spellings are retained. The 8 October full-restoration target remains subject to repairs, testing and safety checks.
What remains uncertain
The operator dates the Central tunnel fire to 26 September, but the exact onset time and customer total are unknown. That date does not mean every address has been continuously without power since the fire. No independent address-by-address restoration check is available. For practical backup planning, use the runtime calculator and internet backup planner; neither predicts network restoration.