Picture: City Power
The City of Johannesburg’s power utility, City Power, has announced the indefinite suspension of load reduction with immediate effect.
On Monday afternoon, City Power said it was thrilled to announce this development but stressed the importance of continued responsible electricity usage in the city.
“Although the suspension of load reduction is indefinite, we want to remind our customers that any significant change in consumer behaviour — such as a spike in high electricity consumption, illegal connections, or meter tampering — could necessitate the reintroduction of load reduction,” City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said.
“Should this occur, we may have to act swiftly, potentially with little to no prior notice, to protect the stability of our electricity supply.”
According to the utility, several factors contributed to the suspension of load reduction.
These include City Power’s intensified efforts to cut off illegal connections and address meter tampering. The utility has experienced a “notable reduction” of pressure on the electricity grid.
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“Moreover, these actions have prompted many customers to approach us for legal reconnections, leading to a more responsible use of electricity as they now pay for the services they consume,” Mangena said.
He added that City Power also increased its energy efficiency and demand-side management efforts to encourage consumers to use energy efficiently. Mangena said this has resulted in the de-loading of high and medium voltage electrical networks under severe stress.
City Power also initiated a normalisation process on meters during the recent Token Identifier (TID) conversion from KRN1 to KRN2.
“This initiative has played a crucial role in stabilising electricity consumption and supply across the city, further reinforcing our ability to suspend load reduction measures,” Mangena said.
City Power said it appreciates the understanding and cooperation of customers during the load reduction period.
“We remain committed to ensuring a sustainable and reliable electricity supply for all our residents and businesses. However, we rely on the continued cooperation from our customers in order to minimise power supply interruptions.”
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