Twenty-two days without load shedding

Eskom does not anticipate that there will be a need to load shed today as the power system is currently stable.

However, the system remains vulnerable, meaning that any extra load or faults in the system may necessitate the need to implement load shedding.

Eskom has met the country’s electricity demand while operating its generation fleet in a sustainable manner for over three weeks, resulting in no load shedding for 22 consecutive days.

Eskom will continue to provide regular updates on the status of the power system through all the media platforms.

Eskom continues to encourage residents to use electricity sparingly.

Here are some ways to save up to 10 per cent on your electricity bill:

1. Hot water:

• Turn down the thermostat on your electrical element geyser to 60°C.
• Don’t use hot water for tasks you can accomplish with cold water – such as rinsing dishes and vegetables.
• Only use hot water for cleaning tasks that really need it, like washing your hands.

2. Fridge and freezer:

• Set your fridge to 3°C – any lower and it will use more electricity than necessary.
• Make sure the seals of your fridge and freezer doors are intact.
• Don’t open the door unnecessarily.
• Place your fridge somewhere cool – away from sun-facing walls and windows, and as far as possible from the stove.
• Defrost your chest freezer twice a year; upright freezers should be defrosted three times a year.
• Don’t overfill your fridge or freezer; only use 90 per cent of its capacity.

3. Living rooms and bedrooms:

• Always switch off lights in unoccupied rooms.
• Unplug all appliances you are not using.
• Don’t leave computers, TVs and DVD players on standby – if you do, these appliances use up to 50 per cent of the power they normally use.
• Keep curtains and blinds open during the day to optimise natural light and postpone switching on artificial lighting until it gets dark.