Eskom is taking drastic action in the Free State

The situation for Parys with regard to forced daily municipal load reduction to protect Eskom’s only working transformer in it’s substation in Parys is not unique.

In line with Eskom’s duty to protect its electricity infrastructure and the communities in which it operates, Eskom Free State today announched that he will be
implementing load reduction in areas where network overloading is rife.

Eskom  in a statement today said it can not afford the repeated replacing of transformers, and that they have a duty to protect  equipment where overloading poses a continuous threat to expensive infrastructure.

Overloading on the Eskom electrical network results in damage to electricity infrastructure through explosions of transformers and mini-substations, and in prolonged outages. It also
poses a great danger to people and property.

In an endeavour to protect the network and to ensure the safety of the public, Eskom will switch off overloaded networks during peak periods, the power supplier said.

“”After the peak period or when it is safe to do so, power will be switched back. The practice of load reduction is in line with the electricity operating code.”

From Thursday 6 August 2020, the areas below will be experiencing load reduction in certain supply areas on a
rotational basis due to frequent overloading.

THABO MOFUTSANYANA District (Mantsopa, Phumelela, Setsotso and Dihlabeng Municipalities) – Intabazwe supply area. Hobhouse, Thembalihle

LEJWELEPUTSWA District (Matjhabeng Municipality)

Fezile Dabi (Metsimaholo and Moqhaka Municipalities)

• In May Parys was left for 3 days in the dark after an explotion in the Eskom substation due to overloading of the Eskom transformer. Since then Eskom has applied NMD limitation in order to keep the amount within the contracted agreement. Eskom now informs the municipality when the NMD reaches 90% of its load in order for the Municipality to apply load reduction.  If the Municipality does not respond by reducing its demand, Eskom is forced to open its supply breaker, resulting in interruption of supply to the Municipality.