Eskom issues assurances over loading-shedding

While the South African electricity system has stabilised significantly since last week Monday, it remains constrained, according to Eskom spokesman Andrew Etzinger. “It is therefore critical for South African electricity consumers to sustain energy savings of at least 10% in order to reduce the load on the power system,” he said. The power utility has called on all electricity users – industrial, commercial and residential – to save energy during its maintenance programme. Etzinger said peak demand continued to range around 29 900MW. “Our available capacity, including the open cycle gas turbines, is 32 000MW.” Load-shedding schedules, while not being implemented, remain in place as a precautionary measure and are available at http://loadshedding.eskom. co.za According to Nick von Broembsen, a manager at Bundu Power, a Johannesburgheadquartered operation that specialises in the sale and hiring of generators, there has been a definite increase in business in the past two weeks. “Even prior to the emergency situation we were seeing an increase in activity and not just in South Africa but in southern Africa.” He said most of the requests being received were for the purchase of generators as more and more people were seemingly looking at putting long-term contingency plans in place. “When people start seeing the kind of headlines they did last month then it does cause concern,” he said. This was re-iterated by Arnold Meiring of Neptune Plant Hire who said they had also seen an increase in requests for generators. Jeremy Anandkumar from Aero-Link Consulting said contingency plans were in place with generators ready to kick in should the power go off. “It is essential for a business to have that kind of back-up and we are lucky in that our location at the airport ensures all this is in place.” According to Jennifer Beattie of Chapman Freeborn the company also has a back-up generator while the Africa group email can also be picked up from their offices in Uganda. “So in the event of us not having any power we will still be covered,” she said. Warren Jayes of Leo Shipping said the impact of load shedding could never be underestimated. “It shuts down electrically powered switchboards and equipment and has serious impact on every business no matter what their industry,” he said.