Eskom has issued an alert to South Africans as it faces grid pressure due to the cold weather. The power utility is urging people to wait 30 minutes before switching electronics back on and refrain from using backup power systems for at least an hour after loadshedding to prevent potential trips.
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The alert, released on Friday, 21 July 2023, cautions that customers may experience extended periods without electricity supply due to ‘cold load restoration,’ caused by higher evening peak demands resulting from extreme cold weather in some areas and the impact of illegal connections in certain regions.
The specific vulnerability was highlighted in areas like Blackheath, Bluedowns, Delft, Silversands and Khayaletshia in the Western Cape.
Eskom advises residents to switch off stoves, geysers and pool pumps during loadshedding and only turn them back on 30 minutes after power has been restored.
The alert further states that during loadshedding, it is recommended to disconnect backup power supplies, such as inverters and UPSs, from the main power source. These backup systems should only be reconnected 60 minutes after loadshedding has ended.
#EskomWesternCape #MediaStatement
Illegal connections and high electricity consumption due to cold weather poses risk of prolonged outages pic.twitter.com/2yGDdrJMIv
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) July 21, 2023
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