Eskom resumes load reduction in Mpumalanga
Though load-shedding remains suspended, Eskom resumed load reduction in the province to protect its assets from repeated failures and explosions caused by renewed network overloading.
While Eskom has kept load-shedding suspended for more than 100 consecutive days due to sufficient generation capacity for the country’s electricity supply, the issue of network overloading has resurfaced with the onset of winter.
The electricity supplier reintroduced load reduction last week, on Tuesday July 9.
According to Eskom’s group executive of distribution, Monde Bala, this issue is prevalent in the Eskom supply areas in Mpumalanga and some other parts of the country. About 94% of the total overloaded transformers are in these areas, as a result of local electricity theft and indiscriminate use of electricity.
He also said despite continued public information campaigns to customers about the implications of electricity theft activities, Eskom has no other option but to implement load reduction to protect its assets from repeated failures and explosions, which pose a risk to human lives.
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“Overloaded transformers as a result of electricity theft present a serious risk to human life. We only implement load reduction as a very last resort for the shortest periods possible after all other options have been exhausted. A transformer damaged by overloading can leave an area without power for up to six months. Protecting Eskom’s assets is in the best interest of all South Africans,” said Bala.
He added that the electricity theft activities are wide-ranging and include illegal connections, network equipment theft, vandalism, meter bypasses and tampering, unauthorised network operations and purchasing electricity from illegal vendors.
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“Load reduction is a long-established process that Eskom uses in specific areas when there is sufficient electricity available, but a transformer’s integrity is at risk due to overloading, whereas load-shedding is used when the national grid is constrained and there isn’t sufficient capacity to generate electricity to meet demand,” he said.
Bala said the overloading of the transformers is recorded mainly during peak hours around 05:00 to 07:00 in the morning and 17:00 to 19:00 in the evening. He said in areas where load reduction has been implemented in the past, Eskom has seen a significant reduction in equipment failure and prolonged outages.
In the areas where load reduction is to be implemented, the relevant cluster or province will communicate with affected customers through the normal channels, including SMSs and Customer Connect newsletters.
