Eskom wants to let every South African use some electricity during load-shedding
Eskom plans on implementing its load-limiting project nationally, the power utility has told MyBroadband.
The load-limiting system is being tested in some of Johannesburg’s northern suburbs and lets customers continue to use electricity during load-shedding, provided they keep their usage under 10 amps.
“One of the objectives of load-limiting is to allow customers to have access to minimal usage of electricity during lower stages of load-shedding, and we have managed to do this since the launch of the pilot,” Eskom told MyBroadband.
“Eskom will be implementing the load-limiting project nationally. The lessons learnt from the current phase of the project will assist as we continue to roll out the pilot.”
However, the power utility noted that the pilot project in Fourways wasn’t without teething issues, with Eskom frequently having to switch customers off for exceeding the 10 amp threshold.
“In the initial phase of rolling out the pilot, we experienced some challenges which we addressed as the pilot progressed,” it said.
“When we began with the project, there were many instances where customers were switched off because they exceeded the 10 amps threshold.”
“We are happy to report that at this stage, we hardly have customers that go above the threshold,” Eskom added.
Despite the challenges, the power utility says the load-limiting pilot has succeeded partly due to its constant engagement with and support for participating customers.
“There were constant engagements with the customers that are part of the pilot, and at times we had to dispatch the technical team to site to diagnose and resolve the technical challenges experienced by customers,” said Eskom.
Eskom kicked off the load-limiting pilot project in Beverley, Lonehill, Craigavon, Magaliessig, Dainfern Valley, Witkoppen, Fourways, and Douglasdale, on Friday, 23 June 2023.
The system allows Eskom direct customers to keep lights, TVs, and other appliances on during the lower stages — Stages 1 to 4 — of load-shedding.
“Load-limiting through smart meters is part of the demand side management initiatives to manage and optimise electricity consumption to better balance the supply and demand of electricity on the grid, during stages 1 to 4 of load-shedding,” Eskom explained.
The power utility’s typical residential feed when there is no load-shedding is 60 or 80 amps.
During load-shedding, with load-limiting active, consumers can avoid losing power if they reduce their usage to draw under 10 amps of current.
“An hour before the start of load-shedding, the system will prompt customers to reduce their consumption to 10 amps by sending a message to their customer interface unit and cellphone,” said Eskom.
“The system will provide the customer with four opportunities to reduce their consumption, and thereafter, if the load has not been reduced, the meter will automatically switch off the electricity supply for the duration of the load-shedding period.”
According to Eskom, only standalone houses and those in larger estates where each property has its own designated external Eskom meter and individual account are eligible for load-limiting.
However, MyBroadband readers who live in complexes in the area report that they have benefited from load-limiting.
In one case, a 425-unit complex with a single external meter and one Eskom account had not experienced any load-shedding other than the days power cuts exceeded stage 4.
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