By Eleanor Momberg
The electricity crisis is not over, and only full co-operation by all users of power will ensure there is no load shedding this summer.
After a winter almost free of power outages following the blackouts in January, South Africans have begun to rest on their laurels and are starting to consume more electricity. This as the summer maintenance season by Eskom gets into full swing, with some units already being shut down for repairs.
Fani Zulu, an Eskom spokesperson, said because there was a low reserve margin, the electricity supply remained strained. "As long as we do not address that, we remain in a vulnerable state," he said.
Continues Below ↓
| Unplanned power cuts could happen at any time |
This means that unplanned power cuts could happen at any time.
While electricity consumption in winter is traditionally higher during the evening peak hours and during cold spells, the summer months hold different dynamics, including the fact that many units are shut down for maintenance.
Zulu said that, for now, Eskom had enough money for the maintenance work that needed to be done. But securing financing for its multibillion-rand expansion project, including two nuclear power stations, was proving difficult. Moody's Investors' Service had lowered Eskom's local and foreign currency ratings in August, as well as its baseline credit assessment, following a review initiated in May.
Ratings agency Standard and Poor's this week placed Eskom on credit watch after it applied for government guarantees on existing and future debt.
Earlier this year the power utility was granted a 27,5 percent tariff increase, which was substantially lower than the amount it had initially requested to meet primary energy costs and fund its demand-side management programme. The government also agreed to grant Eskom a R60-billion loan over five years.
| Besides upgrading power stations, the emphasis remains on savings |
Besides upgrading power stations, the emphasis remains on savings.
Zulu said Eskom at present found itself in "a bit of a tricky situation because most South Africans had instituted savings following the pronouncement of the electricity crisis. As a result, there were no blackouts during winter. Because we went through winter without interruptions, there is a sense of comfort and people are starting to slow down in their savings."
Bheki Khumalo, the minerals and energy department spokesman, said that at the last electricity stakeholder advisory council meeting the question of maintenance and the spectre of load shedding were high on the agenda.
Khumalo warned that South Africa was "not out of the woods yet" as far as the electricity crisis was concerned.
The council had expressed concern that with summer approaching most people did not realise the devastating effect that air conditioning, geysers and swimming pool pumps had on electricity consumption. "Unless we save energy, we run the risk of experiencing a situation not dissimilar to the one we were confronted with last summer," the council said.
Khumalo said that if demand was not reduced, Eskom would be forced to embark on emergency measures. These included planned and unplanned power outages.
Zulu emphasised that if everyone played their part and reduced their electricity consumption, Eskom would be able to build up a comfortable reserve margin to meet any demand increases and to continue supplying power when systems did unexpectedly trip.
- This article was originally published on page 2 of Sunday Independent on September 28, 2008
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
