Eskom released a statement on February 29 that it would resume directly load-shedding CoE customers after the city’s repeated failure to adhere to the NRS 048-9:2019 code of practice.
The power utility said it would take over the load-shedding of the CoE’s customers effective from March 1.
The code of practice requires electricity distribution licence holders to reduce the load during the declaration of a system emergency.
The recurrence of Eskom taking over load-shedding in Ekurhuleni follows the close monitoring and analysis conducted by the power utility, which shows that the CoE does not reduce the load as required by the NRS 048-9:2019.
Eskom claims it brought the matter of the city failing to load-shed its customers, in keeping with the agreed regulations, to the CoE’s attention on several occasions.
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On previous occasions, Eskom said it had taken back the role of load-shedding CoE customers. The CoE then requested that Eskom hand back the implementation of load-shedding to the municipality with a commitment to honour the requirements of the code of practice.
While Eskom appreciates the CoE’s technical limitations in executing load-shedding, it has little option but to implement load-shedding on behalf of the CoE as the non-compliance puts further strain on the already-stretched national grid.
Failure by all electricity distributors to implement load-shedding when required, including municipalities, undermines the integrity and stability of the grid, which may lead to higher stages of load-shedding.
Electricity consumers and the public can assist in reducing the load by switching off non-essential and high-consuming appliances such as geysers, stoves and pool pumps. Doing so will alleviate the pressure on the power system and result in lower stages of load-shedding.
Residential and industrial customers in the CoE are urged to contact the municipality directly for its load-shedding schedule or to visit their website at www.ekurhuleni.gov.za because Eskom uses the city’s schedule.
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