How Eskom's load-shedding could impact City-supplied customers until Sunday
15 January 2021
Eskom's latest round of load-shedding came into effect from 12:00 yesterday, 14 January 2021, until 23:00 on Sunday 17 January 2021. Unlike previous rounds of load-shedding, it appears to be one continuous episode with no breaks, especially at night when the City usually replenished reserves and capacity for the next day.
While the City will always do its best to protect its customers, this uninterrupted round of Eskom load-shedding could make it difficult for the City to protect its customers fully or even from one stage of load-shedding.
This is because there will be insufficient time to generate sufficient excess capacity from the City's Steenbras Hydro Pump Station at night, while at the same time also having to replenish necessary reserves.
The City awaits further input from Eskom.
'The City has always ensured that additional reserve capacity is available to assist its customers during load-shedding, especially during the daytime when there is a higher impact on residents and businesses. Then at night, when load-shedding was suspended in the past, the City would replenish capacity to ensure that it can assist residents and businesses again the next day, during the higher economic impact daytime hours.
'It is a really tough choice that the City has to make regarding when it applies any reserves that it has to limit the impact on customers and livelihoods. We encourage residents to be extra vigilant to safeguard themselves and their properties during load-shedding, especially at night.
The City will continue to do its very best to reduce the impact on its customers wherever possible. We thank our customers for their support and understanding during this difficult time of a pandemic as well as the added pressure brought on by Eskom's load-shedding. The City continues to call on National Government to expedite the processes related to independent power producers and the City remains committed to do everything in its power to reduce the heavy dependency on Eskom, as per the current South African energy regime,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Energy and Climate Change, Councillor Phindile Maxiti.
Due to the continuous day and night nature of Eskom's current load-shedding operation, the City is thus using the reserve capacity that it has to assist with a stage of load-shedding during the daytime only, where possible.
Currently, the situation is as follows for City-supplied customers:
15 January
00:00 until 06:00 Stage 2 (City unable to protect customers from one stage as there is no time to generate enough excess capacity)
06:00 until 18:00 Stage 1 (City will use reserves to protect customers during the daytime)
Available City reserves will be reviewed later this afternoon and City customer will be updated as soon as possible ahead of the weekend's expected load-shedding.
Eskom customers are on Stage 2.
Be energy wise
Please continue to reduce energy usage: switch off all non-essential electrical appliances; pool pumps; air conditioners and reduce your geyser temperature.
Let us know if your power remains off for longer than what the load-shedding schedule mentions. If the City is not alerted to this, it may cause delays with the reinstatement of power in an affected area. Please note that during times of load-shedding, service requests increase substantially and this may cause some delays.
PLEASE NOTE DUE TO LOAD-SHEDDING AND TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, THERE ARE DELAYS BEING EXPERIENCED WITH THE SMS AND EMAIL SERVICE CHANNELS.
IN ADDITION, DUE TO COVID-19 POSITIVE CASES IN THE ELECTRICITY CALL CENTRE AND SOME DEPOTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS, THERE ARE REDUCED STAFF COMPLEMENTS AND THIS MAY IMPACT ON TURNAROUND TIMES. THE CITY IS DOING ITS BEST TO RESOLVE SERVICE REQUESTS AS FAST AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
City’s service channels (please only use one channel and don't log the same request multiple times):
Call Centre: 0860 103 089
SMS: 31220 (standard charges apply)
Online: www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests
City’s smart living resources
• https://bit.ly/Smartliving2020
• https://bit.ly/CCT-SLAuditGuide
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
