The increasing number of residences which are being built countrywide inevitably need electric supplied to them.
Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe says this escalates demand for electric supply and often causes a strain on the power network.
Phasiwe says the power utility has taken steps to build other power stations like the Medupi near Lephalale in Limpopo, Sere Wind Farm 300km from Cape Town and the 100 MW Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant near Upington Northern Cape.
- Medupi is a dry-cooled coal-fired power station.
- Sere is Eskom’s first large-scale renewable energy project.
- CSP will use the energy from the sun as its fuel source. It will make use of the Central Receiver technology; will use molten salt for thermal storage and as a heat transfer fluid.
“Eskom is doing its best to improve the levels of power supply and to hurry the ongoing projects of which some are set for completion by 2019,” he said.
During this period, Phasiwe says consumers are urged to use electricity sparingly and to refrain from illegal connections to avoid heavy fines.
He said: “Trespassers can be fined close to R5 000 for tampering with the network by breaching meter boxes among other things.”
