City Power increase load limiting to three minutes
JOBURG - City Power managing director Sicelo Xulu has advised residents not to panic as the City’s electricity entity has altered the load limiting intervals from the current 30-second interlude to three minutes effective 5 August.
When City Power implements load limiting, households which are above the stipulated threshold of 21 amps get cut off for a period of 30 seconds, in five successive disconnections, until they have reduced consumption to the required levels. This includes manually overriding the geyser switches and disconnecting appliances from secondary dwellings such as cottages, servants quarters and outside rooms.
From 5 August the power outage for non-compliant households will be increased from 30 seconds to three minutes until consumption has been reduced to the required levels. City Power has also announced that the load limiting schedule has been revised and shortened, and the new time schedules are between 5.15pm and 6.45pm.
Xulu, forewarned residents not to panic when they experience these prolonged shortages during load limiting, but rather manually disconnect energy-guzzling appliances to keep the lights on and be spared the inconvenience of load shedding. He said load limiting was a viable and feasible alternative to load shedding.
Xulu said, “With load limiting, customers can still enjoy a quality of life they are accustomed to and don’t have to be enveloped by a blanket of darkness during load shedding.”
He also encouraged residents that are not currently receiving text message notifications to e-mail their meter number and cellphone number to loadlimiting@citypower.co.za
The electricity entity introduced load limiting technology to its areas of supply in Johannesburg, and about 30 000 smart meters have been uploaded with load limiting capabilities. This is a technology that enables City Power to forestall the implementation of the early phases of load shedding by enforcing reduced consumption through remotely disconnecting households that use electricity excessively during peak periods.
Through the implementation of load limiting, City Power relieves the load from the grid and reduces the potential of load shedding.
Xulu said, “We appeal to residents to work with us to ensure that we keep the lights on during this difficult period. The implementation of this mitigating intervention, which is a first of its kind in South Africa, will ensure that we use electricity sparingly during periods of constrained supply and thus spare ourselves the inconvenience associated with being completely load shed.”
Details: @CityPowerJhb, 087 022 0540; smartmetersupport@citypower.co.za
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