Load Shedding does not work

Look i'm fine if they increase the prices, in fact they should do it just so they can't throw the "our electricity is the cheapest in the world" slogan at me while my power is down.

However, then i want to see RESULTS. I don't want to hear "we're gonna build power stations", "we're gonna appoint engineers" , "we're gonna PLAN" ....and then 2 years from now they STILL say "it's apartheids fault, no one planned for the increase of growth " .
Meantime they walk away with bigger bonuses and STILL zero planning or service...exactly like Telkom.

What concerns me however is that they only ask for this increase NOW when the sh*t hits the fan. How can i trust people who couldn't even PLAN THEIR OWN FINANCES , to plan for future electricity supply ?
 
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We've seen here in PMB "highly intelligent people from the private and government sectors working on this." working on it. So 'enlightened' as to black out some residential areas between 18:30 to 21:30 as Kasyx found out while other residential areas get off comparatively lightly by having 11:00 to 1:30 power cuts. Only after residents complained did they change this idiotic plan. Oh but they still managed to slip in an extra half hour per week of blackouts so maybe they aren't that utterly stupid after all.
 
diabolus said:
What concerns me however is that they only ask for this increase NOW when the sh*t hits the fan. How can i trust people who couldn't even PLAN THEIR OWN FINANCES , to plan for future electricity supply ?
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After a goodly chunk of the economy and consumers expenditure was based on power prices.
I remember choosing between a gas range and an electric stove 4 years ago.
Chose electric because it was more cost effective (capital + running costs incl).
Had power been "more expensive" back then, I would have gone gas.

So, throwing "our power is too cheap" arguments at me makes me say "Well, that is *your* bloody fault, not mine Eksdom."
 
GavinMannion said:
It costs a certain amount of money to make electricity. We are selling ours for exactly that.
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No. We are selling it below cost. Especially to the other countries and industrial consumers. As anybody with the slightest sense of business knowledge will tell you, selling everything belong cost will freeze capital expenditure and kill the operation.

GavinMannion said:
We don't have enough money to maintain and create new power stations.
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Some departments managed to spend only 2% of their allocated budget last year. We bought submarines, attack aircraft and attack boats. The problem is not the financing, its the clowns tasked with management/leadership.

GavinMannion said:
To get the private guys involved the price needs to be increased to make it a worthwhile investment and to give everyone some breathing room.
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There *were* private offers. But the muppets in charged at Eskom/Government said no.:rolleyes: Now we have a crisis and the private guys have us by the balls. They'll charge ridiculous amounts and the government/(taxpayers) will have to pay.
 
Just look how effective the arms deal has been. Since we have spent R100billion on the arms deal, we haven't been attacked once, which PROVES that the money was well spent.

As was the planning of our electricity usgae.
 
Moederloos said:
Reading around, it appears there is a lot. 4 hours seems to be the point where health organisations recommend testing food to see if it has spoiled. (Fridge, not freezer - freezer is 18-24 hours).
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I'm about 5 minutes away from a scheduled load shed and the internal temp of the fridge is 4 deg according to a thermometer I swiped off the wall - lets see what happens . . . :)
 
bwana said:
I'm about 5 minutes away from a scheduled load shed and the internal temp of the fridge is 4 deg according to a thermometer I swiped off the wall - lets see what happens . . . :)
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Is that with or without the kids check whats in the fridge every few seconds.
 
bwana said:
A degree - if that - after two hours
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http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/consumer/c-food-safety-during-power-failures.asp

A closed refrigerator should keep your food cool for 4 to 6 hours.
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Some other sites I have gone to recommend testing the internal temperature of certain food items after 4 hours (I have posted those links elsewhere on this forum already).

Remember - we up north have 4 hour outages, with 30 mins either way for good measure.
 
LOL! The pity is that we need the contents of the refrigerator when the blackout occurs. There seems to be a need to eat as soon as the lights go out. :)

Bwana have your blackouts happened as scheduled?
 
hierts said:
And they say science is boring:D anybody else write the date they install a compact flourecent bulb to see how long they last?
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Well it was hardly scientific but it did quell my curiosity for the time being :D
Moederloos said:
Remember - we up north have 4 hour outages, with 30 mins either way for good measure.
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We have a scheduled 8-5 outage next week and I'll try to remember the thermometer then. Good to know though that 2 hours made no difference at all.
Road runner said:
LOL! The pity is that we need the contents of the refrigerator when the blackout occurs. There seems to be a need to eat as soon as the lights go out. :)

Bwana have your blackouts happened as scheduled?
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It helps to know what you're looking for before you open the door :) We opened ours up several times during the outage.

As far as sticking to schedule - you can set your clock by it. NMMM has been pretty good in that regard so far.
 
Bwana: Two hours is fine. Google along the lines of "power outage fridge temperature 2 4" for some really good links.

When the 4 hour outages were posted, and a thread started on this, I mentioned the 4 hours were pushing the safety issues. Also - and this is a bigger issue - "open" fridges etc in food stores cool faster - and not all shopkeepers are that, uhm, concerned as to the quality of their merchandise. While I am aware that the health practices of a shop keeper are not the responsibility of Eskom et al, it is concerning.
 
So is the crime doesn't get us, and the electricity doesn't get us, the bad food will ?
 
zambussi said:
So is the crime doesn't get us, and the electricity doesn't get us, the bad food will ?
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Heh - well - forewarned is fore armed.

No one can blame me if their young child gets deathly ill from salmonella poisoning from eating a bad piece of chicken.
 
Moederloos said:
Heh - well - forewarned is fore armed.

No one can blame me if their young child gets deathly ill from salmonella poisoning from eating a bad piece of chicken.
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I wasnt planning on holding you accountable in the 1st place. Remember, we dont do that in South Africa.
 
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