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Big power cuts loom for Cape
18/02/2006 08:16 - (SA)
Theuns van der Westhuizen , Die Burger
Cape Town - The Cape Town city council is preparing for a 67-day battle of power cuts when the two reactors of the Koeberg nuclear power station are taken out of commission for maintenance later this year.
This much was clear from replies by council officials on Friday at a symposium dealing with the council's plans regarding future public transport systems, especially in view of the 2010 World Soccer Cup tournament.
Wim Ferreira, of the city's transport directorate, said the council was engaged in a planning process of regulating traffic during the power cuts.
The council understood that there would be 67 days to cope with when both Koeberg reactors would be shut down.
At this stage 106 important traffic intersections had been identified where council would employ alternative power sources to operate traffic lights, or where law enforcement officers would have to do duty to regulate the traffic manually.
Council was also in the process of replacing light bulbs in street lights with energy-saving bulbs, he said.
Other officers, among them the director of traffic Maddie Mazaza, said several investigations were under way at present to plan for the traffic demands of 2010.
However, from the replies given it became clear that very little had been finalised so far as it was still "a job in progress", as Mazaza explained.
Transport and taxi services
In her summary she said, among others, that the municipality's planning for the extension of railway services had been completed; however, the same still had to be done for bus transport and taxi services.
Council is working on an integrated transport plan that had to achieve, among others, the aim of providing a better life to all, she said.
As a result public transport corridors would not only be places where people would use public transport, but also where they would do business and utilise other services, an example being the transport interchange at Bellville, where people would also be able to have Aids tests done.
According to Mazaza the directorate was also working on several plans, especially with the view of the 2010 challenges, as the soccer tournament had to leave a heritage to the country.
- Die Burger
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