Ekurhuleni reveals big plans to deal with power crisis

The Ekuhurleni multi-party coalition government has announced its ‘master plan’ aimed at tackling the electricity crisis in the City of Ekurhuleni.

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This includes a major overhaul and replacement of the City’s decaying energy infrastructure that the government said has gone past its lifespan period.

Addressing the media during a press conference held in Germiston on February 11, MMC of Water, Sanitation and Energy Senzi Sibeko said the ageing and poorly managed energy infrastructure was left behind by the previous administration.

The multi-party coalition government believes it can turn around the situation.

The MMC pointed out that theft and vandalism of the City’s energy infrastructure are among the identified major causes of the perpetual power outages residents experience.

Unavailability of electrical equipment stock, inadequate maintenance, ageing infrastructure and the suspected sabotage suspected to be executed on key energy infrastructure are said to be further compounding the situation.

Sibeko explained that the decaying infrastructure has over the years become susceptible to frequent failures. To rub salt into the wound, the type of infrastructure in some areas, such as the 66kV oil-filled cable in the Kempton Park areas, are difficult to source and there are a limited number of service providers with the expertise needed to repair them. Lack of maintenances made the situation even worst.

“We are fully aware of the important role that reliable energy supply plays in the City. Energy powers small businesses, factories, households, schools and medical services in the City. Reliable and sustainable energy also attracts investment into the City, which then creates the much-needed jobs required to address the high rate of unemployment faced by the City,” said Sibeko.

Action plan
To rectify the problem and create a stable electricity supply, the multi-party coalition government plans to intensify maintenance and replacement of the very old and decaying infrastructure, avert the impact of Eskom’s load-shedding by decreasing Eskom supplied areas and enhance access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity; incentivise pre-paid electricity systems and private power generation.

To ensure this happens, the following interventions are being made by the multi-party coalition government:
• The City’s master plan provides an in-depth and detailed roadmap on how the City will renew and maintain its infrastructure. This includes the replacement of oil-filled cables with new cables.
• The multi-party coalition government has asked the administration to compile a report on the state of the electrical stock in the City’s stores and then consider technologies that can assist the electrical stores with demand forecasting and predictive data
• The multi-party coalition government has instructed the administration to provide a report on the progress made to date with the implementation of the Independent Power Producers project, which is expected to provide additional renewable energy to the local grid.
• The multi-party coalition government will be introducing new technology in the form of handheld devices that will alert technicians of power interruptions and complaints in real-time. This is expected to decrease the response time for technicians to start repairs on electrical faults.
• An investigation into the feasibility of forming an Infrastructure Protection Unit within the EMPD will be conducted soon. This unit will focus on preventing incidents of thefts, vandalism and sabotage of the city’s infrastructure.
• The multi-party coalition government is in the process of developing a new communication protocol that will enhance the City’s ability to respond and release information regarding service delivery issues across the City. The City will also expedite the capacitation of the Department of Communication and Brand Management.

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