# Interest group forums > Electrical Contracting Industry Forum > Electrical Load Shedding Forum >  Load shedding set to resume today?

## Dave A

I heard a rumour that load shedding is going to start again today. Anyone else got any news on this?

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## daveob

Yes. It was mentioned on TV this morning, so it MUST BE TRUE.

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## Chatmaster

Simon Gear commented yesterday on 702 that they are trying to continue the agreement with the biggest users to cut their usage with 10%. It seems like they wish to keep this up for as long as possible hoping that the residential and other consumers will come to the party with 10% savings as well.

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## Dave A

Alec Irwin reported that the big industry players feel they are being discriminated against, and were calling for a fairer dispensation.

At this point I think they're hammering the big companies because in the short term it affects less voters - until the retrenchments start kicking in. I see Goldfields is using the power crunch as motivation to close three shafts.

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## Chatmaster

I think you are right about the "voters" being effected.

I also think they believe that they are closer to solving the crisis than originally anticipated, so they are hoping that the big players will play the game with them, preventing further loss in confidence in the government.

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## duncan drennan

> At this point I think they're hammering the big companies because in the short term it affects less voters - until the retrenchments start kicking in. I see Goldfields is using the power crunch as motivation to close three shafts.


I was wondering about this this morning - do you think that it is a possibility that they don't have any system in place to regulate general usage? I'm quite pro a rationing, or sliding scale system as it incentivises lower consumption, I just don't understand why they haven't done it yet (any laws that need changing first?)

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## Dave A

Concept is one thing - implimentation is another  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Overall consumption rationing could be achieved quite easily on a penalty system, I'd think. However the problem is *when* we use the power, and for that we need different metering equipment installed.

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## duncan drennan

> Overall consumption rationing could be achieved quite easily on a penalty system, I'd think. However the problem is *when* we use the power, and for that we need different metering equipment installed.


To me it would be possible to deal with that indirectly through a penalty system (sliding scale). I think (maybe, not 100% sure) that it would result in generally less electricity being consumed, which would indirectly result in a lower base load.

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## Dave A

Agreed - but it would be a reversal of Eskom's current pricing structure (where the more you use, the *lower* the rate) and perhaps more fuel for the inflation fire.

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## duncan drennan

The worst thing about this is that no matter how you fiddle the numbers someone has to pay, and it will probably be the low level workers. NUMSA has already made all sorts of threats, but what happens when there is no money to put on the table? We'll have to wait and see.

It is really unfortunate that domestic users have not come to the party. All that happens is that everyone suffers. All it required was (is) a small amount of proactive force.

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## duncan drennan

Cees Bruggemans makes this comment,




> Why not use the oldest, most efficient optimizing model invented by mankind, which allocates marginal resources according to marginal cost and does so efficiently economy-wide?
> 
> Eskom needs a doubling in cash flow to undertake all the new expansion, maintenance and emergency measures, and a durable 10% cut in electricity demand.
> 
> So double the electricity tariff on 1 April, with a five-year phase-in for strategic electricity users (mines, hospitals, and not forgetting the Union buildings where the midnight oil must be burning furiously).
> 
> Most electricity users would intelligently decide to cut their electricity usage. It would be in their economic self-interest to do so. There should be minimal economic dislocation as all of us would adapt to the new tariffs in the best ways that suit us individually.
> 
> And the political cost? It could well be the lowest cost option of all, being predictable, transparent and adaptable. But it would all be very upfront and visible.
> ...


Personally I've become more and more convinced that his train of thought is correct. The only way to curb electricity consumption across the board is to significantly increase the price. Yes, people will feel that pinch, but at the same time it highly incentivises change in usage.

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## Dave A

Has this worked with fuel costs?

I appreciate reduced consumption has not been a strategic objective - it's been a supply and demand situation in a fairly open market.

But are we seeing more lift clubs or are there just as many "one person on board" vehicles out on our roads?

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## duncan drennan

> But are we seeing more lift clubs or are there just as many "one person on board" vehicles out on our roads?


Valid point you have there Mr Alcock. I wonder how the culture around cars differs from that around electricity (if at all).

Do you think that companies have developed strategies to deal with rising fuel costs? e.g. better route planning for deliveries

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## Snoopy_inc

Hrm so far nothing yet my side... haven had load shedding for a month now.

I have a section also for this guys...
wellinformed.co.za
It's constantly being updated.  Those of you interested.

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## irneb

So this is Africa time ... they (Eskom) specify that "regular" load-shedding (excuse the pun) will happen from Monday this week (that's now Mar 3). Our area (Sandton) was scheduled for 06h00 to 10h00 each day. Then nothing happens, just as everyone starts believing it's not necessary to modify your work times ... today we're given a "nice" surprise at 09h00 for a 2 hour break!

So, it seems to be back to the "good-old-days" of January! No-one knows when or where the next t_rd is going to hit the fan, not even Eish-Kom.

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## Dave A

It doesn't seem to be as wide spread as previously, but it seems load shedding is still happening.

I think if I had to use a single word to describe South African culture, it would be *extreme*. We seem to be either totally indifferent or absolutely outraged - and often times at exactly the opposite moment of the appropriate time to feel either way.

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## Snoopy_inc

at least we live exciting lives  :Wink:

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## Dave A

"May you have an exciting life" is actually a Chinese curse.

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## irneb

OK I think I understand what Eskom meant by "regular" now: "Load Shedding *may* be done at any time within the specified times and continue for varying lengths thereafter."

This translates to: scheduled time for Sandton 06:00 to 10:00 equals cut at 9h03 to 11:05, then 12:13 to 12:15, then 12:45 to 12:46. That's what happened last Friday. I'm not sure how much power "saving" this caused. Using common sense it probably used much more power because everything had 3 start-ups for those minuscule off-times.

Then this morning we get a cut at 10:47 to 10:52. Nothing before, so the above theory is moot as well.

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## Dave A

Hmm. That might not be Eskom load-shedding. That sounds like something's gone faulty on the distribution network.

Did anyone else see that Carte Blanche segment on the copper theft problem?

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## Snoopy_inc

We had a very wierd outage... no news on it happening just at 9:30 at night till about 11ish
happened on monday night.

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## irneb

> Hmm. That might not be Eskom load-shedding. That sounds like something's gone faulty on the distribution network.
> 
> Did anyone else see that Carte Blanche segment on the copper theft problem?


Nope, checked this ... it was standard loadshedding (apparently nothing to do with the Gautrain blasting or anything like that).

BTW, Eskom's now "updated" their schedule - we're supposed to be loadshed from 06:00 to 10:00 Mondays, Wed & Fri. So Monday comes around and "proptly" at 07:15 the power goes off, back on at 11:45. Then yesterday, off at 17:10 ... just buggered off, so I don't know when it came back on.

So I'm expecting another at say 07:00 about, but Eskom's still irregular as hell. Maybe they should rather start employing proctologists.

And then to make my head go really "deurmekaar" my home's yet to be loadshed, although it's stated in the Eskom schedule for 10am to 2pm M/W/F.

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## Dave A

Some of those schedules really do seem to be a "best guess."

But to give credit where credit is due, Durban seems to have stuck to their schedule very well so far.

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## Snoopy_inc

What really gets my goat up is that im getting load shedded 2x a day and others are not getting load shedded at all.

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## irneb

Finally, Eskom's seen the doctor & they're much more regular now. For the pas 3 weeks Sandton's been loadshed according to schedule (give or take a couple of minutes). Although the schedule states 06:00 to 10:00 Mon, Wed & Fri - there's generally only 2 per week ... I'm not complaining. At least we can now start planning working hours around this.

Have been looking at a generator for some time, but to run the entire complex we need one which burns 250 litres an hour. If we install one just to run the PC's & Servers in our office it'll burn 20 litres an hour. That's just STU-PID ain't it? Local regulations state you're only allowed 500 litres stored on premises, unless it's underground - then it's 2000 litres. Which means we need to have the truck come by every 2nd loadshed!

The landlord was looking at putting this miniature power station (as discussed above) directly on the on-site sub-station. Then Eskom said ... uhmm you need to rent our equipment during the loadshedings ... sounds a lot like a Telkom syndrome!

So for the time-being (until we can find a better / less polluting alternative) we're going to come in at different times during the week.

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## IanF

irneb
I agree with you about being regular makes it easier. I am at home know as our power is only due back on at 10am. This what I have done at my small company, *Load shedding Blog*. What is everyone else doing.
 :Confused:

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## IanF

> irneb
> I agree with you about being regular makes it easier. I am at home know as our power is only due back on at 10am.


OK Guess what this morning I phoned my electricity monitor, the Fax and it gets answered, so we weren't loadshed. But listening to traffic the M1 was backed up due to an accident, this then blocks all the side roads as well. So I get in at 9:30 and phone city power, and ask. They say I am lucky and I should only be loadshed again on Friday. 
So the question is do we treat the schedules as maybe and go in and wait or do we treat them seriously and plan around them.
As Confucius says this is like the dog who lies upside down, a ballsup! :Embarrassment:

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