Blackouts back, but load is lighter

ALEISHA TISSEN

JOHANNESBURG - Nationwide blackouts may resume today, depending on demand.

But according to the 702 Eyewitness News website, Johannesburg City Power says that Eskom’s new load shedding schedule will ensure customers are affected only twice a week in the event of nationwide power cuts.

According to the new schedule, certain areas will be hit by power outages for four hours at a time in order to minimise disruptions.

The schedule can be viewed on the website www.eskom.co.za.

Spokesman for City Power, Louis Pieterse told The Citizen yesterday: “The shedding plan will be used only if Eskom has a capacity shortfall. City Power has not received any notifications of possible outages as yet.

“The Gauteng Province Health Department and the City of Johannesburg have an existing agreement that certain provincial hospitals will be excluded from the load-shedding programme.

“This agreement was honoured during January’s cuts and will continue into the new plan.”

Small businesses are expected to be hardest hit by the power outages, as they lose money when the power is out, but Eskom has assured members of the public the plans in place will help to ease the shortages.

The Ekuhuleni Metro Council has also released its plans to limit the effects of the cuts on residents and businesses in the area.

Electricity consumers have been urged to use energy efficiently.

Officials say larger consumers have been connected to an Internet metering system allowing businesses to monitor the percentage of electricity they consume.