mercurial
20-02-2008, 09:10 AM
No more loadshedding? (http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080220040448264C346440)
People would not have to put up with load shedding in the near future, thanks to big businesses and industry cutting back on their power consumption by 10 percent, Eskom said on Tuesday.
The country is entering its third consecutive week without any load shedding.
However, while the reduction in power consumption by big business has eased the pressure on smaller consumers, they will not be able to sustain the 10 percent saving in the long term.
Bonke Dumisa, an economist and former Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO, said that while it had been worthwhile for businesses to oblige and reduce power usage by 10 percent, as requested by Eskom, that would not be sustainable in the long term as it would harm productivity.
He said big business and industry were looking at alternative means of power generation, but that, until an alternative could be found, they needed to rely on power supply from Eskom.
Eskom spokesperson Ra'eesa Waja said this was the reason that power rationing was being considered and that a team had been sent to Brazil to learn how the system was implemented there.
Until a long-term solution was found, however, load shedding would, she said, have to continue. However, Waja said unless there were particular problems with the system, load shedding would not take place in the foreseeable future. She said that there had been an improvement in the performance of electricity plants.
"We have not had load shedding since February 4 and any outages, therefore, have been localised problems.
"We have had voluntary reduction of power from big businesses and industry where they have reduced their power consumption by 10 percent.
"A lot of industries have come to the party, some have not," she said.
Waja said that part of Eskom's plan was to reduce power consumption by 3 000MW during the next four years.
how long do you think this will last?
People would not have to put up with load shedding in the near future, thanks to big businesses and industry cutting back on their power consumption by 10 percent, Eskom said on Tuesday.
The country is entering its third consecutive week without any load shedding.
However, while the reduction in power consumption by big business has eased the pressure on smaller consumers, they will not be able to sustain the 10 percent saving in the long term.
Bonke Dumisa, an economist and former Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO, said that while it had been worthwhile for businesses to oblige and reduce power usage by 10 percent, as requested by Eskom, that would not be sustainable in the long term as it would harm productivity.
He said big business and industry were looking at alternative means of power generation, but that, until an alternative could be found, they needed to rely on power supply from Eskom.
Eskom spokesperson Ra'eesa Waja said this was the reason that power rationing was being considered and that a team had been sent to Brazil to learn how the system was implemented there.
Until a long-term solution was found, however, load shedding would, she said, have to continue. However, Waja said unless there were particular problems with the system, load shedding would not take place in the foreseeable future. She said that there had been an improvement in the performance of electricity plants.
"We have not had load shedding since February 4 and any outages, therefore, have been localised problems.
"We have had voluntary reduction of power from big businesses and industry where they have reduced their power consumption by 10 percent.
"A lot of industries have come to the party, some have not," she said.
Waja said that part of Eskom's plan was to reduce power consumption by 3 000MW during the next four years.
how long do you think this will last?