The Vaal Business Forum in Standerton is in the dark, no pun attended, about the reason behind the power outages.
The newspaper contacted Mr Gary van Aswegen, chairman, on Wednesday, 12 May.
The crux of the matter could be the Notified Maximum Demand (NMD) of 55.
Mr Van Aswegen said a scenario of power outages was foreseen and they have been in contact with Nersa, Eskom and the Lekwa Municipality since last year, to no avail.
The legal route was once again taken and Mr Andreas Peens, the lawyer handling Standerton’s case, was instructed to write to Eskom’s lawyers, who yet have to respond.
“Unfortunately, this process takes time and we will most probably only see a result closer to July,” Mr Van Aswegen added.
The Standerton Advertiser is in possession of a copy of the letter written to the power utility. Mr Peens referred to power outages on 3 and 4 May at 6pm and said their client is of the opinion, that the electricity is tripping on Eskom’s side because of the 55NMD still being implemented.
He mentions the interim interdict of Acting Judge AJ Millar, who ruled on 28 August last year that Eskom was to increase, alternatively restore the maximum electricity load supply to Lekwa to the level supplied before the implementation of 55NMD.
Mr Peens also said the NMD is historically outdated.
Ratepayers charged the power utility with contempt of court on 3 September last year.
Their statement then read that the NMD implemented nationwide is not only a way of buying them time via less electricity production, but also a revenue stream due to penalties each time this NMD is exceeded.
Ratepayers will be filing an application on 17 May this year and should it be found that the power outages are not due to the NMD, a punitive cost order will be asked for against Lekwa, for refusing to communicate this.
Should Eskom be found to be in contempt of court, imprisonment of the CEO will be sought.
