Here’s the perfect way to deal with load shedding

Clarens, a small Free State town at the foothills of the Maluti Mountains, has been a popular tourist destination for many years.

The quaint restaurants and superb art galleries make it the perfect getaway. Now, they will provide the case study as the first town where residents manage their own electricity demand during load shedding.

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For far too long, Eskom has controlled when the public receive their power supply due to the strain on our power grid.

Now, through the transition to load curtailment – a concept designed to reduce the power demand or electrical energy usage during the peak load periods – it aims to move it from “an art town to a smart town”.

A meter has been installed at the town’s main point of supply and every 60 seconds the meter sends real-time statistics of the town’s current demand, prompting further reduction if required.

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During curtailment stages 1 to 4, cooperating customers are required to reduce demand by 10% to 20%.

Clarens’ group coordinator Gert Kruger said: “For a town that depends on tourism, not being subjected to load shedding is life-changing. Although the success depends on the voluntary participation of residents and businesses, we have the community’s support as everyone benefits from cooperating.

Feedback from visitors, restaurants and accommodation establishments is very positive and without the noise of generators, tourists can enjoy Clarens’ natural beauty.” We look forward to many other towns following suit.