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Business unusual at Eskom - as it happened

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Eskom's acting CEO Brian Molefe.
Eskom's acting CEO Brian Molefe.
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22 Apr 2015

Fin24's Matthew le Cordeur had this exclusive interview with Eskom's acting CEO Brian Molefe at Constitution House in Cape Town:

22 Apr 2015

Eskom has rectified a City of Ekurhuleni tweet that load shedding would be at stage 2, saying that it will only be at stage 1 from 5pm to 10pm.
FULL STORY

22 Apr 2015

LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE - From Fin24 user Albie Kruger: We are only two in the household. What do I do to save energy? Always switch off the geyser and switch on again half an hour before you shower and then off again afterwards. Put the hot water left in the kettle into a hot water bottle or flask. Vacuum the house once a week. Watch TV covered by a blanket and not electric heaters. Cook double the meals and reheat the second meal in the microwave. Make meals suitable to be cooked in one dish.

22 Apr 2015

LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE - From Fin24 user A Kruger: After spending a lot of money on generators over the years since the start of load shedding and eventually upgrading to a more economical to operate, but very expensive Yanmar Diesel generator to support our household during the increasing power interruptions, the board of trustees at our estate decided that the use of generators is no longer allowed. The neighbours outside the estate of course still use their generators so at any time during load shedding you can hear the hum of generators. Solar panels and solar geysers on rooftops are aesthetically unpleasing and also not allowed. As a result of these kind of unintelligent decisions made by trustees who make rules for the sake of making rules, load shedding to us is much more of an inconvenience than it should be. Have you received similar feedback from other readers or is our situation unique?
LET US KNOW

22 Apr 2015

LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE - From Fin24 user Robert Cherry: There are numerous points that I could write down but would like to recommend the following that all seem to ignore. As this can have a direct and immediate saving on the daily draw on the much needed capacity.

Swimming pools: There are over 500 000 swimming pools in South Africa and as we approach winter the need to run the filtration system for 6 to 8 hours or more is unnecessary. This equates to around 3 000MW/day (0.75 kw/h x 8hrs x 500.000 pools)/1000

The recommendation is as follows: run all pools for only 1 hour per day (0.75 kw/h x 1hrs x 500.000 pools)/1000 = 375. Approximate and immediate daily saving to the grid would be = 3 000Mw/day – 375MW/day = 2 625MW/day.

Surely if the country and economy is in a desperate state people like myself with this luxury can contribute by going this route.

In closing councils should also implement this as a mandatory rule for residents with swimming pools for the winter season.

22 Apr 2015

Eskom: 1 000MW reduction means that although certain areas will be without electricity for a certain period, about 96% of South Africans will still continue to receive power supply at the same time. 

22 Apr 2015

Eskom official statement: Because of maintenance, the system will not be able to meet 1 000MW of demand - i.e. stage 1 load shedding.

22 Apr 2015

Twitter was abuzz with rumours that the evening load shedding would be stage 2, but Eskom clarified this, saying it had been downgraded to stage 1.

22 Apr 2015

Eskom has told Fin24 that stage 1 load shedding will be implemented from 17:00 to 22:00. The stage was downgraded from stage 2 (which Eskom communicated to its direct industrial clients).

22 Apr 2015

In an exclusive video interview with Fin24’s Matthew le Cordeur, acting CEO of Eskom Brian Molefe said he was quite happy to be seconded to Eskom as he believed the challenges were solvable with a little solid leadership.

22 Apr 2015

LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE - From Fin24 user Sue Barnes: In our household we try to conserve electricity as much as we can by1. Pay as you go…the best way to go as each day you check how much you use and try to do better!/ use less2. Every light bulb has been changed to the eco/low energy ones, when Eskom was giving / exchanging them and we do turn off as we leave a room.3. Cooking by gas and plan meals for a week, therefore no waste.4. Solar for geyser - we're planning this for washing dishes etc. And only use washing machine (cold wash) for linen and trousers; everything else I hand wash.5. Room heaters are gas, but we don’t use them until at least middle June. Until then we use small throws if we get cold in evening.6. We bought a generator. Well worth the effort of saving and buy the biggest one you can afford. Surprisingly, you can hear quite a few in the evenings chugging away.

22 Apr 2015

Jesch: From an economical point of view, the investments would be very wide spread and thus socially acceptable. The required technology is readily available and apart of minor changes to electricity meters there are no network expenses whatsoever.

22 Apr 2015

Jesch: However, the size of the country and the almost constant average distribution of sunshine hours, the power generated on widespread small and affordable roof-top installations would have a substantial impact on power generation.

22 Apr 2015

Jesch: To explain my vision further following would apply: If I take an installation of app 2 kW solar and I have an own instant demand of 3 kW, 2 kW I could draw from Solar and 1 kW from the network. The other scenario would be a demand of 1 kW, the surplus of 1 kW could be fed into the network. Certainly, working without expensive batteries such a ‘gliding’ system would only contribute during daylight hours depending on weather conditions.

22 Apr 2015

Going the route of pre-paid power for both corporates and households in South Africa could do wonders for the Eskom balance sheet, says Brian Molefe, acting chief executive.

22 Apr 2015

Jesch: By installing relative affordable solar panels from app 2 kW upwards with suitable synchronous inverters to feed energy into the house supply and energy surplus into the network a lot of energy could be generated without any substantial change to the grid and distribution network. Basically a simple reversible electricity meter – debiting received and crediting delivered back – would do the job. Crediting at normal tariff would be a fair deal. In particular in prepaid meter systems the changes would be extremely low.

22 Apr 2015

LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE - From Fin24 user Fritz Jesch:  To solve our energy problems we will extensively have to rely on renewable, ‘green energy’. The very cleanest we have currently is solar energy – free for all. The participation of the private sector in supply of solar energy should be promoted as an cost effective alternative. With no grid costs whatsoever private households could contribute.

22 Apr 2015

LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE: Fin24 user Lynne Brook suggests consumers go gas - for stove and geyser.

22 Apr 2015

Medupi and Kusile are expected to add a combined 9 000MW to the strained electricity grid.

22 Apr 2015

Eskom: For now the power system is stable and should there be a need to load shed in the evening, Eskom will advise the public accordingly.

22 Apr 2015

Fin24 user Belinda Kets's contribution to the LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE: A creative way to ensure energy is saved  would be for each household to enjoy an earth hour one voluntary day a week. This will lessen the energy pressure. Family time enjoyed and meals planned in advance. Choose your own earth hour and not forced to endure load shedding.

22 Apr 2015

One of the successful power producer bidders says their initiatives won’t ease load shedding any time soon, but will lead to a new era of energy consumption.

WATCH: A new era of renewable energy in SA

MORE VIDEOS in FULL STORY

22 Apr 2015

Eskom statement: While the number of the independent power producers (IPPs) that are connected to the grid continues to grow and contribute to meeting the country’s energy demands, the contribution over peak is currently not substantial.

22 Apr 2015

Eskom statement: In the new 5 years Eskom will add over 17 000MW of new capacity to the national grid;  9 756km of new transmission lines and 42 470MVA of transmission strengthening. To date over 6 238MW of new capacity has already been added and 5 814km of transmission lines and 29 655MVA have been installed.

22 Apr 2015

From Eskom statement: In an effort to ensure that Eskom will be able to meet future electricity requirements, the company is currently undertaking a R280bn capital expenditure programme over 5 years, and building two of the biggest coal-fired power plants in Africa. Since 2001 we added 32 generating units increasing a number of current units to 121.

22 Apr 2015

From Fin24 user Caroline Wagner: If you are ready and prepared it is not so bad. I have several Consol solar jars. Keep them in the sun all day. Bought a single burner propane stove for cooking. Also got rechargeable lanterns that hold the charge and provide light for up to 100 hours. They can also be charged with solar. Lots of candles too of course. 

Join the war on load shedding.

Share your survival tips

22 Apr 2015

WJ Stowe: Sorry I will do everything in my power to reduce consumption until I have recovered this huge loss as a pensioner. Try sourcing a generator. The cost does not stay there. Tough for the goverment and Eskom. I guess revenue is needed for the late project overruns and needing to finance nuclear.Take this with you to Cyril (Ramaphosa) in the War room. I am not alone.

22 Apr 2015

Fin24 users are increasingly adding their voice to our LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE. Just in from user WJ Stowe: I have just read Chris's article about reducing consumption but not to cut back too much as it will hurt revenue in the long term. Well Chris I have this to say to you. We are in the dwang thanks to bad decisions made by the governing ANC. I am retired and cost outlay in the last week:


<p>Fin24 users are increasingly adding their voice to our LOAD SHEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE. Just in from user WJ Stowe: I have just read Chris's article about reducing consumption but not to cut back too much as it will hurt revenue in the long term. Well Chris I have this to say to you. We are in the dwang thanks to bad decisions made by the governing ANC. I am retired and cost outlay in the last week:</p><p></p><br />

22 Apr 2015

Executive: It is business unusual.

22 Apr 2015

Edwin Mabelane, acting Commercial executive: The need to be bold and have the guts to do what you need to do.

22 Apr 2015

Pule: The engagement we had on Saturday was very eye opening. When you are in crisis you are more operational. We need to have a better view of the company to be able to guide.

22 Apr 2015

Elsie Pule, acting HR executive: A leader that engages gives the followers hope. I don’t see anyone complaining from them working over the weekend. People are not dragging their feet.

22 Apr 2015

Molefe: It is a matter of finding a solution to maintenance without load shedding. We spoke at length on Saturday about how we could communicate differently. The morale of the executive is up.

22 Apr 2015

Molefe: I would not have come here if I did not think the problems were solvable. They are not systematic.

22 Apr 2015

Molefe: It was not a difficult decision to come to Eskom. It is a company that is doing well, but is having problems that is solvable.

22 Apr 2015

Eskom group exec of generation Mongezi Ntsokolo: During the week, we have a bidding process about each generator. We look at how much space and see on a priority list to do maintenance. The final list will be decided on Thursday.

22 Apr 2015

From Eskom statement: Medupi Unit 6 was successfully synchronised to the national power grid for the first time on Monday, 2 March 2015, and is currently being progressively tested and optimised to enable it to join the Eskom Generation fleet as a significant contributor to the country’s constrained power supply.

<p>From Eskom statement: 

Medupi Unit 6 was
successfully synchronised to the national power grid for the first time on
Monday, 2 March 2015, and is currently being progressively tested and optimised
to enable it to join the Eskom Generation fleet as a significant contributor to
the country’s constrained power supply. 

</p><p></p>

22 Apr 2015

Eskom's winter savings tips
Eskom's winter savings tips<br />

22 Apr 2015

22 Apr 2015

Eskom's winter savings tips
Eskom's winter savings tips<br />

22 Apr 2015

Eskom statement: As has been the case since winter of 2013, some generation maintenance will continue to be done throughout the winter, but will ramp down in June to assist in ensuring a sustainable generation fleet.

22 Apr 2015

Molefe at briefing: Trend of breakages is up, but the more planned maintenance we do the lower this will do.

22 Apr 2015

Molefe in Eskom statement: Residential customers can make the biggest difference as demand increases mainly in the evenings.
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