Load Shedding

Core Electricity Load Shedding in South Africa

We were totally unprepared when it first started in 2008 as spontaneous and random blackouts which were completely unpredictable. This is when people get stuck in elevators for hours, emergency procedures stopped, all local traffic lights suddenly fail during peak hour traffic and so on. There is opportunist crime in general especially at night. Although still for some years things remained under control.

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To cope with too high demand and insufficient supply Escom introduced a system of “load shedding”, this means controlled blackouts when the network cannot satisfy the demand for electricity.

We now have a system of “schedules” from 1 to 10. Higher schedules mean more load shedding. Each schedule of electricity cuts determines the amount of load shedding which theoretically is planned and announced a few days ahead. They determine the times in hours of load shedding a day but otherwise are irregular and don't appear to be predictable.

In general the amount of hours is determined but for the rest is random and to be announced at very short notice or not at all and schedules adapted every few days or daily. Frankly unpredictability in itself already gets on your nerves and on average a rough guess is of more than 4 hours a day. Although things are definitely improving it is a serious problem and they say it will be with us for some time.

The system is obviously a great improvement but still you usually can't plan in advance and still there is a serious problem with trying to keep routines. This is your major problem apart from the schedules and blackouts themselves.

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My suggestion would be a further refinement and hopefully significant improvement in a proposed system, a formalised method and with general public access. There is further possible in a sophistication to our current one that could now be formally planned and implemented. As such formalised a refinement of our current system and could make things much better for all of us.

I want to suggest a core (or skeleton) load shedding. Say complete fixed sessions for each week up to a month maybe three trying to be as regular and evenly spread out as possible and working by some rules and information taking into account places and times of the demand and supply of power. As regular and predictive as possible. Modifications for additional demand might be planned ahead and announced.

Local timetables are set up of your load shedding where a day is divided into twelve times two hours (as is now). This timetable is meant to be fixed and as regular as possible for convenience, with additions or changes to be announced in advance (if possible) and implemented.

The core would be changed periodically with fixed time intervals.

You might then iron out some difficulties beforehand with possible additions to the core and even if it must with short notice. Also there could always be an option to cancel a session.

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The whole idea is such a proposed “core” load shedding roster which could bring a significant improvement on the power generating too with planning with smoother and more predictable demand. Honestly I do understand there are other serious problems to deal with apart from power generating capacity like weather conditions and damage to infrastructure. Still one should get the idea careful thought.

There is however one other thing that will help a great deal and that is the increased tariffs for electricity, everyone paying more so that Escom can recover and at the same time everyone paying more for power and consequently using less. However obviously this is a very unpopular measure. Also when spring approaches and warmer climate, widespread private installation of solar panels and emergency generators as well, there will be much relief.

Fail to plan and plan to fail. Let us keep the lights burning, waste not want not!

Tom Brown