Eskom starts rationing

[CathJ]

Via IOL.

I just don't know how to respond to this, it's so ridiculous. And it's their arrogant attitude that angers me the most.

As a summary (in my own words):

They're going to start loadshedding for 2 hours every second day, between 6am and 10pm. If you can prove that you've reduced your usage enough, you can apply to be exempt (how the hell does that work? I don't think they have the infrastructure to do that, otherwise they could not loadshed traffic lights!).

They're not going to stop exporting electricity.

They acknowledge that people have complained about not getting adequate warning of loadshedding, but basically say, tough, they can't give you adequate warning.

 

[Digilus]

Via IOL.

If you can prove that you've reduced your usage enough, you can apply to be exempt (how the hell does that work? I don't think they have the infrastructure to do that, otherwise they could not loadshed traffic lights!).

I'd also love to know how they plan to do that. Maybe I'll snitch on my neighbours and tell Eskom they use normal bulbs and I use CFL's - that way I should not be loadshed'ed.

Of course - you have to ask yourself - what good does changing to CFL's do when the load-shedding is going to happen mainly in the DAYLIGHT hours? hehehe

 

[DeamonLizard]

If you can prove that you've reduced your usage enough, you can apply to be exempt (how the hell does that work? I don't think they have the infrastructure to do that, otherwise they could not loadshed traffic lights!).

I don't think they mean "you" as in the man in the street. They mean "you" as in Eskom clients - like the municipalities and big mines (basically anyone who pays eskom directly)

So I guess that means that if Joburg as a whole doesn't cut their power consumption by 10% the whole of Joburg would be rationed.

 

[CathJ]

Of course - you have to ask yourself - what good does changing to CFL's do when the load-shedding is going to happen mainly in the DAYLIGHT hours? hehehe

They're conflating two different issues, really. On the one hand they want you to save during peak time, so CFLs won't help (as with the geyser on/off story - I think the consensus is that it doesn't save much overall, but does save during peak). On the other hand, they now want to excuse you from loadshedding if you save enough overall - so CFLs will help with that, but geyser timers won't.

 

[Digilus]

I don't think they mean "you" as in the man in the street. They mean "you" as in Eskom clients - like the municipalities and big mines (basically anyone who pays eskom directly)

Thought as much - though I do have a nagging question which no one can seem to answer.... Eskom has contracts with businesses - in which it is stated that they will get x amount of power and if not or if requested then eskom pays them etc (the whole buy-back power thing).

Do home-owners have any sort of contract with the municipality as to the provisioning of power / water etc to your house? Just curious - cause I've never seen one, but surely it is a service they are rendering and there must be some sort of contract somewhere in the process ?

 

[Moederloos]

Via IOL.

I just don't know how to respond to this, it's so ridiculous. And it's their arrogant attitude that angers me the most.

As a summary (in my own words):

They're going to start loadshedding for 2 hours every second day, between 6am and 10pm. If you can prove that you've reduced your usage enough, you can apply to be exempt (how the hell does that work? I don't think they have the infrastructure to do that, otherwise they could not loadshed traffic lights!).

They're not going to stop exporting electricity.

They acknowledge that people have complained about not getting adequate warning of loadshedding, but basically say, tough, they can't give you adequate warning.

In short:
"We are ****ing idiots, we have no bloody clue what we are doing, but we will continue to **** you over while enriching ourselves."

These morons are so thick, if you put a ring of them around a nuclear reactor core we could dispense with the need for lead and concrete.

 

[medicnick83]

Moederloos, very good! Especially the 'could dispense with the need for lead and concrete" hahaha... classic and so well said.

 

[CeeBee]

Why the council doesnt have to save?!

What ticks me off is that, when I come to work in the mornings, it is starting to become 'light' already, as the sun starts to come up... but the streetlamps are still switched on, the lights make zero diff to the roads below, but theyr'e on. When I go home in the afternoon, there are also several streets with lights on... WTF
How much electricity do these floodlights in the townships use up?!
Gov & Escom wants us to inconvenience ourselves to use less electricity, while the sh1theads in th council town council don't care about the streetlamps

 

[Moederloos]

What ticks me off is that, when I come to work in the mornings, it is starting to become light already... but the streetlamps are still switched on, the lights make zero diff to the roads below, but theyr'e on. When I go home in the afternoon, there are also several streets with lights on... WTF
How much electricity do these floodlights in the townships use up?!
Gov & Escom wants us to inconvenience ourselves to use less electricity, while the sh1theads in th council town council don't care about the streetlamps

Try: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Power_Crisis/0,,2-7-2335_2288196,00.html

Mbeki said that he had instructed staff at his official residence in Pretoria to take measures to save electricity.

However, he acknowledged that these had not been altogether successful.

It had emerged that they had managed to locate some, but not all, of the switches to its many geysers, he said.

(Apologies for the double post to those who read both)

 

[Paulr]

He said Eskom also plans to embark on a carrot-and-stick power conservation plan whereby penalties and sanctions will be imposed for exceeding allocated quotas for energy consumption, and incentives given for saving energy.

And what would those be I wonder?

 

[Moederloos]

And what would those be I wonder?

Well, according to Trevor's budget speech - if you save power, you will be incentivised by not paying more overall.

In other words, sweet fanny stuff all.

Oh wait! Your reward will be to watch as Eskom senior mis-management get huge bonuses for "solving the crisis".

 

[boramk]

And in winter when we all use heaters? Freeze to death?

 

[daveza]

The flaw in this plan is identifying those who have reduced their power usage.

If you have always economised on your power consumption, then the last 6 months will show no decrease in usage - thus you are not eligible.

If you have always economised on your power consumption, and your parents come to live with you, your usage goes up - and you are not eligible.

We do not have the manpower to investigate each home owners individual circumstances, so they will end up looking at a suburb, averaging the consumption, then if the average does not decrease over the months - everyone in the suburb will not be eligible for relief.

Regardless of the individuals who have reduced their power usage.

 

[LancelotSA]

And in winter when we all use heaters? Freeze to death?

Buy a blanket!!

 

[daveza]

Buy a blanket!!

Just not an electric one.

 

[stoke]

Dave iz on the money.
I am already frugal in my electricity usage.
I CANNOT save any more electricity, It's not possible.
I will be punished for that.
Thanks governmint.

So .. in order to survive the up-coming penalties, I am going to start WASTING electricity on purpose, so that when they start with their penalty crap, then I can actually cut back.

Lame lame lame lame.

I have just made toast using my oven griller and boiled a full kettle for 1 cup of java.

 

[LancelotSA]

Dave iz on the money.
I am already frugal in my electricity usage.
I CANNOT save any more electricity, It's not possible.
I will be punished for that.
Thanks governmint.

So .. in order to survive the up-coming penalties, I am going to start WASTING electricity on purpose, so that when they start with their penalty crap, then I can actually cut back.

Lame lame lame lame.

I have just made toast using my oven griller and boiled a full kettle for 1 cup of java.

Ha ha ha you are going to fail so miserably... but I should not be warning you so that I can laugh when you get hit with the penalties! The period which they are going to be comparing to ended October 2007.

At least you are doing your bit now to conserve power... good on you! Not!

 

[LancelotSA]

And in winter when we all use heaters? Freeze to death?

Move to Durban...

On that note you guys inland should pay more for power as after your post it is obvious that it is you guys that cause the problems in winter! And we get penalised...

 

[stoke]

@LancelotSA ... October you say. Hmmmm ... interestink.
I guess it's going to have to get down to dragging my Ward Councellor into my house and forcing him to earn hiz 250K a year by explaining to me exactly how I can save on electricity.
I think that's a better plan than me wasting electricity.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

We do not have the manpower to investigate each home owners individual circumstances, so they will end up looking at a suburb, averaging the consumption, then if the average does not decrease over the months - everyone in the suburb will not be eligible for relief

They've already stated that suburbs will be broken into 'blocks'. In my case, where during the day only my PC and 1 light is on and both next door neighbours have 2-3 aircons running (yeah 2 on one side 3 on the other) and pool pumps going the whole day ..... me is farked and I must suffer. Incompetent (insert choice expletive)