Good news for eThekwini developers is that the city is holding off on the Eskom ban on new developments. The ban is expected to cause a ripple effect on the economy.
Eskom told the Energy Crisis Coping Forum in Durban on Saturday that it would continue what is perceived to be a stranglehold on new developments such as office blocks and housing clusters requiring more than 100KVa (enough to power a small office block).
The delays are expected to last for between four and six months, or perhaps even longer as the country needs to save 3000MW until at least 2012. This is when new power generators will become operational.
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The ban has not just affected long-term planning for developers, but some current projects have been shelved, such as a 362 unit retirement home, and projects at Coega in the Eastern Cape.
Sandile Maphumulo, head of eThekwini Electricity told the forum, organised by the South African Institute of Electrical Engineer, there would come a time when he would have to stop new connections.
Ian McKechnie, former institute president, said the implication for consumers was for them to develop coping strategies.
"The distribution infrastructure is a crisis area," he said.
According to a National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) municipal audit many of their networks were in a poor state of repair and "faltering" because of poor housekeeping.
Maphumulo said that networks were not designed for load shedding; when power was restored and the breakers in a sub-station tripped the station could not be put back on-line by remote control.
He said, based on the city's experience, it was correct to exempt industrial customers, hospitals, sewage works and unreliable plants.
"We have to protect our industrial customers and I apologise in advance to residential areas for future load shedding," he said.
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