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'Power saving or rationing'
05/03/2008 08:00 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Consumers were urged to be co-operative when it came to the use of energy, or they would have to face rationing, said Johannesburg's City Power on Tuesday.
City Power MD Silas Zimu said although rationing would be considered only as a last resort, it would happen if families did not help in conserving electricity.
"If load shedding does not address the challenge of electricity shortages, we will have to approach Eskom to say this is not working, do something".
He was addressing a workshop organised by the City of Johannesburg in Braamfontein on electricity management during blackouts.
Zimu said that, like other councils, City Power faced major challenges as a result of Eskom's inability to meet electricity demand.
Speaking at the workshop, economist Mike Schussler said other interventions business should consider were to allow flexi-time and home-based work; work could also be done at weekends.
He said Eskom also should consider prosecuting illegal users of electricity.
"Electricity is very valuable and if you connect illegally you are stealing; you should be sent to jail."
Eskom's Tito Zwane said three power plants that were closed in the past were recommissioned to boost supply.
"Some of our plants are working on old equipment and the company has decided to recommission Camden, Grootvlei and Komati."
Zwane said six other plants were being built throughout the country.
Long-standing contracts
He said there was no way Eskom would stop exporting electricity to neighbouring countries.
"We have contracts that were signed with those countries long before we realised the problem.
"And when we import from the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), for example, we use infrastructure of the neighbouring countries - how do we then say we are stopping the electricity supply?" he asked.
"So, we have to treat them the way we treat our customers."
Eskom had identified skills shortages, increased demand for coal and wet weather as major contributors to the power crisis, he said.
Zwane said that among the initiatives Eskom had come up with to counter power cuts was to buy back electricity from clients in industry.
Tariffs going up 14%
The public would continually be encouraged to save electricity.
"Reality is that growth is outstripping the supply capacity," he said.
Electricity tariffs will go up by 14% on April 1.
This was after Eskom's failure to have the regulator agree on an increase of 18.5%.
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