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Power warning from Eskom
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The_Unbeliever
Honorary Master
Here we go again... 
I was expecting it - next week will be fun and games at my work as we battle to get finished before the annual shutdown...
I was expecting it - next week will be fun and games at my work as we battle to get finished before the annual shutdown...
Hows that.
I ordered a new UPS Unit just this week.
I brand new UPS Unit was delivered to my business premises today to run the Till System, Radio Pad and Credit Card Machine. I set it up at around 6pm and currently am testing it to see that it functions properly. I switched the power off at 8.09pm and it is still going strong.
You just get these hunches.
I ordered a new UPS Unit just this week.
I brand new UPS Unit was delivered to my business premises today to run the Till System, Radio Pad and Credit Card Machine. I set it up at around 6pm and currently am testing it to see that it functions properly. I switched the power off at 8.09pm and it is still going strong.
You just get these hunches.
chopsky
Expert Member
"A concerted effort to decrease the consumption of electricity by all South Africans will reduce the risk of load shedding"
To hell with Eskom and the South African government. I can't take this crap any longer.
It's 2008 and we should not be made to put up with this kind of nonsense.
This situation we're in, whereby we have to conserve electricity as if it's some scarce resource, is just completely ridiculous.
If you can't provide a service to cater to the demand, at least push for government to de-regulate so that others can. You Eskom, are scum of the worst kind.
To hell with Eskom and the South African government. I can't take this crap any longer.
It's 2008 and we should not be made to put up with this kind of nonsense.
This situation we're in, whereby we have to conserve electricity as if it's some scarce resource, is just completely ridiculous.
If you can't provide a service to cater to the demand, at least push for government to de-regulate so that others can. You Eskom, are scum of the worst kind.
Shake&Bake
Party Liaison
Funny how they call it a technical fault when it was an error by one of the operators in the unit 
They have to refuel the uranium rods or pills or something.
What I do know is that one of the guys working on the shift opened the wrong valve or something and this has lead to Unit 2 having to be refuelled. That's why they need to cool it down.
They get quite confused when they're down there and from what I've heard, its quite a common occurrence for the operators to get confused between Unit 1 and 2.
How that happens I don't know.
All of the stuff are colour co-ordinated, but they still get it wrong at times.
So they're meant to be doing something on Unit 1 and end up doing it on Unit 2 or vice versa.
This specific shutdown is due to refuelling Unit.2, because a dude(ett) got it wrong, there was no "bolt" or anything else that jumped out of place.
No power cuts that I've experienced thankfully.
They have to refuel the uranium rods or pills or something.
What I do know is that one of the guys working on the shift opened the wrong valve or something and this has lead to Unit 2 having to be refuelled. That's why they need to cool it down.
They get quite confused when they're down there and from what I've heard, its quite a common occurrence for the operators to get confused between Unit 1 and 2.
How that happens I don't know.
All of the stuff are colour co-ordinated, but they still get it wrong at times.
So they're meant to be doing something on Unit 1 and end up doing it on Unit 2 or vice versa.
This specific shutdown is due to refuelling Unit.2, because a dude(ett) got it wrong, there was no "bolt" or anything else that jumped out of place.
No power cuts that I've experienced thankfully.
bekdik
Honorary Master
Damn Bolts. Where's Erwin when we need him?
Eskom needs to triple prices
Hi Chopsky,
There is a pattern to this>
1. Media reports telling the public of potential Load Shedding come 2009
2. Load Shedding
3. Application to NERSA for price hikes of 50% plus
4. 6 months later new tariffs are implemented
5. No further Load Shedding
6. Repeat point 1 - 5 end of 2009 for 2010.
7. Repeat point 1 - 5 end of 2010 for 2011
There was obviously a problem as far as capacity constraints go, but how much of the so called issues we are having is geared towards hiking prices?
Eskom want to triple tariffs as seen in this article here, but must get past NERSA and the many other consumer bodies, economists and the rest. They need to motivate their unusual request for prices out of kilter with inflation and to achieve this we have to feel the pain.
Just a thought. How many Companies do you know can increase tariffs in the present to help pay for future expansion needs. Eskom can and as you so rightly state they are a Monopoly.
Government is wholly to blame for the mess as they could have built more Power Station Capacity when things were a lot cheaper 10 years ago, but like then they rather kept the money for other "uses" and now they choose to make the consumer pay for expansion through higher tariffs when essentially Government should and could be taking the Lion Share for Expansion needs from Tax Revenue like it was always the case in the past.
Basically what Eskom are doing is using the cash flow of Electricity Accounts to fund Capital Expansion when this should come out of Long Term Capital.
E.g. It is like making extensions to a factory out of a Company's Overdraft (Working Capital) when essentially the money should come out of a Mortgage Bond (Long Term Capital).
I think the average man in the street is looking for ways to cut back on his Electricity Bill, the ones that pay of course. But many big businesses must be suffering especially the ones in Manufacturing as the Input Costs will weigh heavily with the steady big hikes in Electricity Tariffs. Businesses cannot simply cut back if they need Electricity for production and one must spare a thought now for the beleaguered Mining Houses who not only are suffering because of the huge fall in commodity prices, now have to pick up extra tabs for Electricity.
Just goes to show you how Politicians can cost a country. Give the running of a country over to properly trained and qualified managers and then we may see a difference in our lives.
Regards,
BTTB.
Hi Chopsky,
There is a pattern to this>
1. Media reports telling the public of potential Load Shedding come 2009
2. Load Shedding
3. Application to NERSA for price hikes of 50% plus
4. 6 months later new tariffs are implemented
5. No further Load Shedding
6. Repeat point 1 - 5 end of 2009 for 2010.
7. Repeat point 1 - 5 end of 2010 for 2011
There was obviously a problem as far as capacity constraints go, but how much of the so called issues we are having is geared towards hiking prices?
Eskom want to triple tariffs as seen in this article here, but must get past NERSA and the many other consumer bodies, economists and the rest. They need to motivate their unusual request for prices out of kilter with inflation and to achieve this we have to feel the pain.
Just a thought. How many Companies do you know can increase tariffs in the present to help pay for future expansion needs. Eskom can and as you so rightly state they are a Monopoly.
Government is wholly to blame for the mess as they could have built more Power Station Capacity when things were a lot cheaper 10 years ago, but like then they rather kept the money for other "uses" and now they choose to make the consumer pay for expansion through higher tariffs when essentially Government should and could be taking the Lion Share for Expansion needs from Tax Revenue like it was always the case in the past.
Basically what Eskom are doing is using the cash flow of Electricity Accounts to fund Capital Expansion when this should come out of Long Term Capital.
E.g. It is like making extensions to a factory out of a Company's Overdraft (Working Capital) when essentially the money should come out of a Mortgage Bond (Long Term Capital).
I think the average man in the street is looking for ways to cut back on his Electricity Bill, the ones that pay of course. But many big businesses must be suffering especially the ones in Manufacturing as the Input Costs will weigh heavily with the steady big hikes in Electricity Tariffs. Businesses cannot simply cut back if they need Electricity for production and one must spare a thought now for the beleaguered Mining Houses who not only are suffering because of the huge fall in commodity prices, now have to pick up extra tabs for Electricity.
Just goes to show you how Politicians can cost a country. Give the running of a country over to properly trained and qualified managers and then we may see a difference in our lives.
Regards,
BTTB.
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The_Unbeliever
Honorary Master
Exactly.
Hosehead
Executive Member
Where is any task team for that matter. They don't exist.
Peder
Hobbit
Question?
Why does this always seem to happen at the end of the year? All of a sudden?
Are they trying to force us to pay more?
and/or have a crappy christmas where none of the high-tech gadgets we buy one another will work till jan?
Why does this always seem to happen at the end of the year? All of a sudden?
Are they trying to force us to pay more?
and/or have a crappy christmas where none of the high-tech gadgets we buy one another will work till jan?
Funny how they call it a technical fault when it was an error by one of the operators in the unit
They have to refuel the uranium rods or pills or something.
What I do know is that one of the guys working on the shift opened the wrong valve or something and this has lead to Unit 2 having to be refuelled. That's why they need to cool it down.
They get quite confused when they're down there and from what I've heard, its quite a common occurrence for the operators to get confused between Unit 1 and 2.
How that happens I don't know.
All of the stuff are colour co-ordinated, but they still get it wrong at times.
So they're meant to be doing something on Unit 1 and end up doing it on Unit 2 or vice versa.
This specific shutdown is due to refuelling Unit.2, because a dude(ett) got it wrong, there was no "bolt" or anything else that jumped out of place.
No power cuts that I've experienced thankfully.
Mix affirmative action with PC and you'll end up with unqualified colourblind nuclear power plant operators
and lose far more than 10% of their support base
OhGats
Senior Member
Sigh... I am glad I am not in the Cape, if a bolt ends up in the wrong place we could have a cape Town equivalent of "the China Syndrome".
chopsky
Expert Member
BTTB, we most definitely agree on one thing: That this whole problem is government's fault. Exactly what the fault is, is where we differ. I don't believe that the government's biggest mishap was not investing in more power, bur rather not de-regulating the industry to allow for foreign or local investors to do so. This problem would not have occured had the market been free, plain and simple.
With the current price hikes and supposed lack of supply, investors are aching to offer a competitive service that would attract all of Eskom's customers, but they're not allowed. Government would rather have Eskom offer a sub-standard service to ensure they have a stable source of income, than have no Eskom at all. This kind of regulated monopoly is an absolute travesty. It is a monopoly that has achieved its position not through offering an unmatched service or product, but through government coercion. Quite simply, there isn't a single industry that the government (or a government monopoly in this case) could manage better than a free, competitive market would.
Our country is run by money grabbing crook's,it's as simple as that.All they want to do is find a loop hole everywhere to make money,they would rather let us(RSA) suffer without power but send power oversea's just so they can drive the S-class merc's and have a mansion by the sea's.
eaglebeaver
Well-Known Member
The price of coal has halved - which in my understanding - expensive coal was a big problem . I bet this cheaper coal will just mean more money in their pockets - we will have price hikes as planned
Incorrect. Eskom has signed a set-price contract with the mines until 2011 or 2012, at which they pay a set price for the coal. If you want to "query" Eskom's profits for the last financial year, go check out their annual report, available from their website.
Hi chopsky.
Here is my 2c on the matter.
I am not entirely sure that Private Enterprise would have alleviated our problems? At least not all, but part perhaps?
They would have helped with Capacity, but as far as pricing goes I think we would be paying a lot more now than what we are currently paying.
Prices for Electricity in South Africa have been cheap for decades, hence the lack of feasibility for Private Enterprises to enter the market.
I think the debate will rage on as to what ifs and why nots.
Government should just have provided more funding and heeded the calls 10 years ago. They did apologise.
Private Enterprises on the other hand have shareholders and any Company's duty is to provide value first and foremost to their shareholders which would ultimately mean we would be paying more for Electricity to fund Shareholder Value.
Whereas we as the General Public are the shareholders in Eskom and all benefits or surpluses ultimately should be returned in the way of upgrades and more facilities.
I know what I propose is basically Socialism, but be that as it may I reckon a State Owned Institution providing Electricity needs in the long run would be a better option than Private Companies that can go bust at any time.
Electricity like Water should be State provided.
Here and there an opportunity for a Private Power Utility like IPSA may present itself and they can connect to the National Grid, but for the long term and the bulk of our Electricity needs, this should be provided by Eskom.
Can you just imagine where we would be now had it been left up to Private Enterprise to find the hundreds of Billions of Rands needed to fund new Power Plants in the current world financial chaos. I much rather choose Eskom with Government support.
Just keep a careful eye over Government that they do not use Eskom as a Cash Cow and stick to their mandate of providing cheap power to South Africa, end of story.
Regards,
BTTB.
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