WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-02-04 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
By Agiza Hlongwane
Ethekwini City Manager Mike Sutcliffe has indicated that middle class residents could bear the brunt of the government’s power rationing system.
This comes as residents await details on whether the government’s power ration will be the same for every household, or based on the average consumption levels of each individual household.
“Asking a family of two to cut one of their two geysers and swimming pool heaters will be fairly easy. But to ask a family of 10 living in a four-roomed house will be difficult. We will target those sectors which will make a difference,” Sutcliffe said.
Concern is mounting among householders that not only will they be forced to drastically change their lifestyles, they will also have to fork out thousands of rands for expensive solar equipment and its installation.
The electricity shortage has prompted the government to introduce power rationing and quotas as alternatives to frequent blackouts, which have left residents and industry in the dark for hours and threatened to bring the economy to its knees.
In the government’s quest for a 10 percent reduction in power use for households and 15 percent for the commercial sector – which would provide relief to the country’s over-burdened electricity grid – residents are being encouraged to invest in solar-powered water heating systems.
The new cutbacks will also require the installation of electrical devices to enable city authorities to switch off power supply to items such as geysers and swimming pool pumps.
Earlier this week, the eThekwini Municipality said electricity monitoring units or “ripple controls” – designed to enable municipalities to remotely switch off geysers and other electrical equipment – would be fitted on to electricity distribution boards of KwaZulu-Natal homes within six months.
But there are fears that the cost of this would filter down to the consumer.
A solar heating system could set back consumers R6 000 to R20 000 a household, depending on needs and size. Installing a 200 litre solar water geyser may cost about R10 000, whereas an electric geyser of equivalent size may cost R6 000. However, the SA energy regulator, Thembani Bukula, said residents might get “significant” subsidies.
“There are funds from what we call demand-side management, which will off-set the capital cost of these things. As far as the figure is concerned, I’m not sure, but usually it’s 50 percent.”
Bukula, however, said he did not yet have details on subsidies.
Some residents may find the solar energy alternative unaffordable, he said, hence the need to make the alternatives “attractive” to them.
His office was awaiting feedback on details on the implementation of the quota system. “Not many people have R10 000 lying around. Eskom will have to report to us, so we can see if what they are proposing is acceptable.”
Among other proposals from the department of minerals and energy (DME) is that all commercial and residential buildings which have electric geysers must have solar water heating facilities added by 2010.
High level meetings are taking place between the DME, Central Energy Fund and local government representatives to determine how the rations will be implemented. Also under discussions are award incentives for households and businesses that adhere to the saving measures and imposing penalties on those exceeding the limits.
But no details could yet be made available, said department spokesperson Sputnik Ratau. Once the draft regulations were finalised, he said, comment would be sought from the public and affected parties.
Ratau would not say when the quota details would be finalised.
Comment would be sought from the public and other affected parties on the implementation of the proposals, he said.
The government has also proposed that by 2010, all commercial and residential buildings must have smart meters to remotely control electricity supply to geysers, heating, ventilation, cooling and swimming pool drive systems and all new geysers have insulation blankets. Also, that by 2010, customers who use 500kWh or more be on time-of-use tariffs, meaning being charged more for electricity at certain times.
Head of eThekwini Electricity Sandile Maphumulo said, “Eskom is still working out details of how the system will work.”