SA has saved 1800 megawatts over the past six years due to energy efficient lighting, Eskom said in a statement on Monday.
Between 2004 and 2010 43.5 million compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were rolled out as part of Eskom's national efficient lighting programme.
“Through retrofitting power-guzzling incandescent bulbs with energy savers, South Africans have helped save 1800 MW of electricity. This is enough to power a city the size of Durban.”
This was the highest number of CFLs to be rolled out in the world in one country through a single campaign.
Mexico was planning to roll out 30 million CFLs, which would place it second to South Africa.
Senior general manager of integrated demand management at Eskom Andrew Etzinger said the programme's success was due to millions of “energy-conscious and environmentally-concerned” South Africans.
“The electricity saved as a result of the marked reduction in consumption by lighting in homes and buildings across the country brings us closer to achieving our energy savings targets.
“We are enormously appreciative of the South African people who supported this drive and we encourage them to continue working with Eskom and with each other to save power by using electricity wisely and living resource-efficient lifestyles,” Etzinger said.
However, Eskom said the gap between supply and demand would remain tight until the first unit of its Medupi dry-cooled, coal-fired power station being built near Lephalale in Limpopo, started generating power in 2012. - Sapa