Eskom Red Alerts on DStv pay off
Eskom has thanked South Africans for heeding its regular power alerts aired on various television broadcasts.
In a statement on Wednesday 27 January, Eskom said that South Africans switching off unnecessary lights and appliances during evening peak periods in response to Red Alerts has proven helpful in mitigating load-shedding.
“Eskom thanks all consumers who have responded to Power Alerts by switching off all unnecessary lights and appliances between 5pm and 9pm – the period of peak demand for electricity in most homes in South Africa,” Eskom said.
“This resulted in a reduction of 368MW in the demand for electricity during October 2020 in the case of Red Alerts.”
This reduction is enough to power approximately 171,963 urban residential homes during the evening peak, Eskom said.
Eskom’s televised Power Alert initiative informs the public about the real-time status of the electricity network and implores consumers to reduce their electricity usage accordingly.
The alerts are broadcast on SABC, eTV, DStv, and OpenView.
Eskom Power Alerts
Eskom uses four colour-coded status levels to indicate the real-time status of the national electricity grid.
These alerts are delivered during televised broadcasts and each delivers a specific call-to-action based on the state of the power grid.
Eskom’s colour-coded alert levels are defined below:
- Green – The national power grid is stable – no action needs to be taken.
- Green increasing – There is limited strain on the electricity supply. Residential consumers are requested to switch off unnecessary lights.
- Orange – There is strain on the electrical supply. Residential consumers are prompted to switch off any unnecessary lights, the geyser, and pool pumps for the evening peak period or until notified of a green status.
- Red – There is increasing strain on the electrical supply and that load-shedding is imminent. Residential consumers are further prompted to switch off any unnecessary lights, the geyser, pool pumps, and additional loads such as non-essential appliances, air-conditioning, and dishwashers.
- Black – There is significant strain on the electrical supply and that load-shedding is in progress. Residential consumers are prompted to switch off all loads that are not absolutely essential.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said that load-shedding is here to stay for the foreseeable future, and South Africans who heed Eskom’s power alerts assist greatly in reducing the risk of power cuts.
“South Africa will continue to experience electricity shortages for the foreseeable future; and your continued assistance by switching off lights and appliances in response to the Power Alert system is commendable and highly appreciated as it goes a long way to alleviate the shortages,” he said.
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