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If you’re a Cape Town resident, the term “load reduction” might not be something you’re fond of. It’s been a significant discussion point in recent times in the area, being used to maintain the electricity grid in the face of demand beyond the limits the infrastructure can safely handle.
With power issues already a concern, a resurgence of load shedding may complicate things.
Below, learn what load reduction is, whether you can expect its reimplementation in your area, and how you can support the grid while being mindful of your energy consumption.
What is Load Reduction?
Load reduction is a planned method that energy providers use to reduce the grid’s demand and prevent equipment overloading and damage. It also safeguards human life, which can be at risk if equipment explodes.
Load reduction pinpoints the areas where electricity theft and increased energy consumption are most prevalent. This targeted approach allows grid access to remain normal in other places that aren’t at risk of equipment failure.
How Is Load Reduction Different From Load Shedding?
Unlike load shedding, which is a scheduled and systematic power cut across different areas in stages to balance the energy supply and demand, load reduction only reduces power in specific areas.
When used properly, electricity shedding can impact the community and help stabilise the entire power grid by rotating a cut-off of the electricity supply. It affects all power customers indiscriminately and usually follows a precise schedule.
Load reduction, however, is designed to protect delicate electrical equipment in areas where illegal activities, including energy theft, are most prevalent. Load reduction can be implemented more quickly, with less notice, and often targets specific neighbourhoods at a higher risk of transformer failures or electrical fires.
Is Load Reduction Being Implemented in Cape Town?
Load reduction is recently being reintroduced into Cape Town following a lengthy 104-day suspension. Unfortunately, load reduction must be used again because the beginning of the winter season prompts increased energy use, leading to an overwhelmed network and higher levels of theft.
The areas most prone to elevated energy consumption (whether through legal or illegal means) where load reduction will be implemented include:
- Eastern Cape
- Gauteng
- KwaZulu-Natal
- Limpopo
- Mpumalanga
- North West
- Western Cape
Residents affected by load reduction will receive communication from Eskom through normal channels, including SMS messages and the customer newsletter. Residents will be notified before any power reduction or loss takes place so they can stay informed and make necessary preparations.
Why is Load Reduction Being Introduced?
The strategy has been used before, and though residents enjoyed a long break without the need for load reduction strategies, it’s being introduced again primarily due to the rise in electricity theft.
Electricity theft takes many forms, including creating and using illegal connections, network equipment theft, vandalism, and tampering or bypassing meters. These unlawful activities place excessive strain on the electricity grid’s infrastructure, leading to repeated outages and posing a risk to human life.
Load reduction is sometimes necessary to protect equipment, communities, and people from the impact of explosions, lengthy blackouts, and potential fires. If a transformer gets overwhelmed, extensive blackouts can occur, lasting up to six months. Going without power for that long is a much harder adjustment than enduring load reduction to protect the interests of all of South Africa.
Protecting Assets
Load reduction is a protective measure by nature. It safeguards equipment worth millions of dollars that serves residents throughout the country and keeps their livelihoods safe.
When the grid’s demand exceeds what the infrastructure is designed to safely withstand, it can lead to explosions and dangerous electrical fires that can spread quickly, destroying homes, businesses, and lives. Mini substations and transformers are especially at risk, and though they may seem like minor damages, their destruction can leave a wide footprint.
Eskom encourages South African residents to find other ways to protect the grid they rely on every day. In addition to systematic grid reduction in high-demand areas to tackle electricity theft, residents can also do a few things to help.
How South African Residents Can Protect The Grid
First, ensure the electricity you’re consuming is legal and paid for. To do this, check that your vendor is operating legally.
Another way that residents can make a big difference in reducing the strain placed on the grid is by reducing their electricity consumption. There are countless ways to do this, but the most effective is by finding an alternative energy source that you can rely on some or all of the time.
It can include EcoFlow Solar Generators, which connect EcoFlow Portable Power Stations with a solar panel to create an energy source that runs solely on the sun. These are commonly called load-shedding kits, but they can help during load reduction, too.
The EcoFlow DELTA 2 + 400W Solar Panel is a great entry-level home backup option to help run essential appliances and devices during electricity reduction periods. Alternatively, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro + 400W Solar Panel is a more robust solution that can serve as your home’s primary power source in the face of an unstable or unreliable grid.
Final Thoughts
Load reduction might be a hassle for residents, but it’s a critical measure to ensure the overall stability of Cape Town’s electrical infrastructure. By understanding the strategy’s importance and taking your own necessary precautions, you can help the grid return to health and resilience.
To help you through periods of load reduction, invest in an alternative power source such as EcoFlow’s Solar Generators. These generators capture renewable energy from the sun so you can still live your life as usual without relying on the grid.