KwaDukuza’s electrical department is in a state of clear crisis, but plans are in place to mitigate soaring losses.
The Courier recently reported concerns that the municipality’s energy losses could reach R500-million in 2023/24, which would blow past already sky-high figures in the previous three years.
Plans are in place to stop the rot, however.
KwaDukuza municipality’s (KDM) electrical engineering executive director, Sibusiso Jali, outlined 15 interventions that his department is taking.
Of the 15, four have not started at all, three are at tender or feasibility stage and two await budget before they can continue.
That leaves six programmes currently in progress.
1. Bringing the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (Scada) online: Scada will allow greater oversight and monitoring of the municipality’s electrical infrastructure once finished. Installation at KwaDukuza’s 13 substations and at the control room is in progress. Of the R22.7-million allocated in this financial year’s budget, R16.2-million has been spent. A further R7.8-million has been requested by the business unit, but cannot be granted until the adjustment budget in February. There remains no timeline on completion.
2. Addressing inadequate bulk purchase control: Check meters have been installed at three Eskom point of supply sites to monitor the exact rate of supply for more accurate bulk purchasing. The meters will become part of Scada once it comes online.
3. Automating and auditing KwaDukuza’s 493 large power users (LPUs): Meters are being automated to be read remotely so that consumption can be better verified. Eighty-two LPUs have so far been audited and uploaded to the system.
4. Electrification and pre-paid metering of informal settlements: Settlements are getting formalised electricity to prevent illegal connections. More than 250 houses in Murugan Road near KwaDukuza have so far been electrified and the next settlement, Nyoniyamanzi, is underway.
5. Revenue protection unit: An independent team to manage revenue protection interventions has been proposed and needs council approval. Raids on both metered and unmetered connections are already underway.
6. Review tariffs and develop new ones for small embedded generation: Reviewed tariffs have been sent to the national energy regulator and KDM currently waits for approval.
Follow The North Coast Courier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube for breaking news
WhatsApp Broadcast Service: https://chat.whatsapp.com/BdGZsGJEAf04AXZ2yLWi8T
