Pretoria - Eskom will in the next few weeks issue tenders
worth more than R500m to contractors for installing energy-saving equipment in
homes across the country.
The value of the work is estimated at up to R2 000 per
house, but it will cost homeowners nothing. The contractors' accounts will be
settled by Eskom.
A R500m trial run has effected a 80MW saving on the national
power grid during peak periods.
On Friday Andrew Etzinger, head of demand management at
Eskom, told Sake24 that the new tenders will be considerably larger than those
of the trial, but the Eskom board still has to determine the exact amount.
He said that in February Eskom had appointed four
contractors for the trial programme – namely Ellies, LDM Energy, Karebo Systems
and i4SBF.
These contractors install, at the request of homeowners,
time switches for geysers, energy-saving showerheads and – where owners have
not yet converted to them – energy-saving bulbs for both ordinary and sunken
lighting.
He has the showerheads in his own home and South Africans
need not fear that they will be shivering or struggling to wash properly with
them, says Etzinger. They save warm water and therefore electricity, but "the
level of convenience is the same".
Some of the contractors also offer time switches for
swimming pool pumps, but for those a tariff is payable in places.
Etzinger says it's part of Eskom’s programme to manage
electricity demand. This progamme has been in place since 2004 but is now
gaining momentum.
It's aimed at relieving the pressure on the national grid,
especially during peak periods. The time switches on geysers will therefore be
set not to be able to switch on between six and eight o’clock, both in the
mornings and in the evenings. The homeowner will be unable to change this
setting.
He says the installations will also reduce the homeowner's
electricity account and in addition lower everyone's carbon footprint.
The new bulbs use up 85% less electricity and the showerhead
saves 20%, say some of the contractors on Eskom's web page.
According to Etzinger the target was to spend R500m towards
lowering electricity demand by 100MW during peak periods.
Although the programme terminates only at the end of June, a
saving of 80MW has already been achieved. If the cost of constructing new power
stations is taken into account, this is an excellent return on Eskom’s
investment, he says.
The contractors' agreements with Eskom guarantee their work
for three years.
Etzinger says Eskom wants to involve more contractors in the
new tenders. Black empowerment groups, women and the youth will receive
preference.
V Information and contact details of current contractors are
available at: http://www.eskomidm.co.za/residential/residential-technologies
or Eskom’s call centre on 0860eskom (0860 37566).
- Sake24
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