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Load-reduction continues in Soshanguve

The Tshwane metro apologises profusely for the inconvenience that may be caused due to the load-reduction.

The Tshwane metro has announced that load reduction is set to continue for another week, from June 17 to 23, in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria.

The areas affected by the load reduction are those supplied by the Soshanguve 132/11kV substation.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said that the substation is experiencing power overload due to illegal connections.

He said the available grid cannot cope with the strain and the metro has decided to reduce energy consumption from 18:00 until 22:00 daily.

“The move to implement load-reduction in Soshanguve was informed by the current status of the Soshanguve 132/11kV Substation which is experiencing power overload as a result of illegal connections.”

“The metro will soon embark on an aggressive campaign to disconnect illegal electricity connections in the area that are the main contributing factor to the grid overload,” said Mashigo.

The affected areas are BlocksS, X, R, KK, T, V, W, and X-Buffer A and B.

Mashigo said the metro implores the community to report illegal connections so that those behind this crime can be held accountable.

He added, “The option of load reduction has an advantage to consumers in that it prevents extended and unplanned power outages, which could last for days, as the electrical protection schemes are bound to trip if overloading is not managed. It also saves the metro from incurring unnecessary costs which might result from extensive damages to the substation.”

Consumers are reminded to always switch off non-essential appliances and alternate using high-consumption appliances (geysers, kettles, stoves, and heaters) to reduce the prospect of overloading the electricity system.

Energy expert Chris Yelland previously explained to Rekord that load-shedding and load-reduction are distinct concepts with different purposes.

Load-shedding, according to Yelland, is a solution to what is primarily a generation problem that occurs when Eskom’s generation capacity fails to meet electricity demand.

He said to balance supply and demand, Eskom reduces demand by switching off parts of the country and rotating the outages to spread and therefore the effect of load-shedding.

“This is done to prevent a complete grid collapse,” he said.

Yelland said, on the other hand, load reduction is one solution to a distribution problem that occurs when the distribution network is overloaded.

He added that to prevent transformers from overheating and catching fire, electricity is switched off during peak hours to reduce the load.

“This proactive approach prevents prolonged power outages and ensures a stable supply of electricity,” he said.

He said overloading is caused by urbanisation, illegal electricity connections, high electricity demand and the metro not upgrading infrastructure and plants.

ALSO READ: Metro implements power load reduction in Sosh

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Trott Chaane

Trott Chaane is a journalist at Pretoria Rekord, focusing on local news. With experience in audio editing and online news, Trott delivers well-researched and accurate articles. Dedicated to impactful journalism, he is passionate about growing in the field and making a difference.
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