ROLLING blackouts have continued to affect the local economy, prompting the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to address the issue.
The council has this week approved a plan to address the blackouts with short, medium and long-term goals in mind.
According to the Mayoral Committee for Electricity and Energy: “This is in response to the municipality’s dwindling revenue collection from the sale of electricity as well as the pertinent need to soften the crippling impact of load shedding on the local economy.
Short Term Goals
To explore the electricity load curtailment of qualifying customers.
Medium Term Goals
“In the medium term, we foresee the improvement of the electricity saving capacity of the 84 000 geysers, remotely controlled with ripple control switches, by ensuring better compliance by those consumers currently bypassing the system. If implemented correctly, 50mW can be switched off remotely when required.
“Another low-hanging fruit in the medium term is the refurbishment of the gas turbine (a ModPod 50) at Mount Road with an installed capacity of 50 mW that will operate at around 40 mW (which is equivalent to two stages of load shedding). A service provider will be appointed to assess the facility and provide a report on what is required to get it operational.
“In addition, a pilot project to curtail the electricity load of existing consumers, with the requisite smart technology already installed at their premises, will be implemented to reduce their electricity usage without completely switching off their electricity supply,” MMC Grootboom said.
Long Term Goals
Long-term plans include greater independence from the power utility, Eskom, by promoting and championing the implementation of sustainable renewable energy and procuring energy from independent power producers.
(Issued on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality by Media Management Officer Kupido Baron.)
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