The City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ) electricity entity is urging its customers to use electricity sparingly as the winter months approach.
The entitiy’s spokesperson, Virgil James said the reason for this request is to ensure the electricity network is not overloaded. “If customers use electricity sparingly, overloading of the network – which could result in unplanned outages – can be avoided,” he said.
City Power gives the following tips to help customers use less electricity:
• Always use the right appliance for the job – do not make your toast in the oven, as it uses up to four times more electricity than a toaster.
• When electrical appliances are not in use, switch them off.
• Heat as few rooms as possible and keep a heated room’s doors and windows closed.
• Switch off heaters if the room is empty.
• Use low-powered heaters.
• If possible, insulate ceiling spaces above the rooms with insulating material.
• An electric blanket uses about four times less electricity than even a small heater.
• Ensure that fridge doors seal and are in good condition.
• Do not open fridge doors unnecessarily.
• Do not leave the fridge door open while busy doing other things.
• Do not place hot food or liquids in the fridge.
• A heavy build-up of ice increases the running costs of your fridge – ensure you defrost it regularly.
• Switch unnecessary lights off and do not leave your outdoor lights on during the day.
• Use energy-efficient light bulbs where possible. Try using a bulb with the lowest possible wattage that provides sufficient light.
• It costs less to boil a kettle than boiling water on the stove.
• Do not overfill your kettle when boiling, use only as much as you require. (Always ensure the element is covered.)
• Pour excess water into a thermos flask for future use – it saves both time and money.
• Electric frying pans and microwave ovens use less electricity than stoves – so does pressure cookers and stackable pots.
• Always match the size of the pot with the size of your stove’s plates.
• Do not use pots with distorted bottoms – they require a lot more heat.
• Turn the temperature down during the cooking process.
• Do not use the stove to cook a single dish at a time or to heat the room.
• Switch your stove off when not in use.
• Replace damaged stove plates regularly.
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