SPEECH BY CLLR GERT PRETORIUS
Council meeting 29 January 2009 Part 1 Item 1
Electricity
Mr Speaker this is a very important report and although it has served before the relevant portfolio committee, I still want to say something about it. This Country and specifically our city is facing an extremely serious situation in the sense that peak period demand for electricity exceeds Eskom’s ability to supply sufficient electricity during peak periods. The sad truth is that if we are forced to do load shedding; we also load shed people. Their ability to move around freely to and from work, their ability to actually do their work and to put bread on the table, aspects related to health and education, these and more are severely affected by power outages.
In this report there are good proposals but unfortunately nothing that will immediately endeavour to address the situation. We looked at seven alternative sources for energy and I am of the opinion that we can do mush more to effect at least three of this proposals.
Eerstens Mnr die Speaker moet ons baie meer reklame maak oor die gebruik van sonkrag. Ek het dit al voorheen gese maar ek gaan dit weer se. Indien die verbruiker regtig bewus is en ek glo dat baie verbruikers wel die erens van die saak begryp sal hulle meer genee wees on self iets aan die situasie te doen. Om van sonkrag waterverwarmers gebruik te maak spaar die verbruiker nie net op sy elektrisiteitsrekening nie, maar lewer die verbruiker ‘n uiters belangrikke bydrae om minder las op Eskom se kragleweringsvermoe te plaas. Hierdie reklameveldtog kan die raad tog nie so baie kos nie en kan onmiddelik geimplimenteer word. Die raad kan byvoorbeeld in samewerking met Tshwabac en die handel permanente uitstalruimtes beskikbaar stel en die inwoners aanmoedig om hierdie uitstallings te besoek.
I want to remind this house that more than two years ago this council accepted a motion proposed, if I am not mistaken, by Councillors Dr Napier and Prof Baker that all new developments should install solar water heating as a matter of course. Economy of scale makes this a viable proposition. Are we doing this?
The second possibility is to urge residents to make use of LP gas and acquire some LP gas equipment. Most households normally prepare their main meals for the day during evening peak demand periods. The use of a gas stove can do wonders in limiting the city’s electricity demand during these critical periods. Again the council must embarked on an awareness campaign to inform our residents out there. This can also be part of a semi permanent exhibition as mentioned before.
Thirdly we should investigate and accelerate the deployment of load shedding on all existing electrical hot water systems. According to an engineering study done by IST some time ago, it should be relatively easy for the city to shed some 200-300 Megawatts during periods peak demand by using this simple approach.
Sir, I would plead with this Council that this technology be implemented rather sooner than later. The Department should be tasked with coming up with a strategic assessment and implementation plan with time lines to do this.
Mr Speaker, I plead that we opt for the easy and simple approaches first as a matter of urgency, whilst at the same time pursuing all other options as well.
Ek wil ook graag ‘n beroep op ons verbruikers doen. Dit is so dat ons as verbruikers nie aandeel gehad het in die onvermoe van Eskom om nie nou en ook nie vir die afsienbare toekoms voldoende elektrisiteit te lewer nie. Ons kan en ek glo dat dit ons landsplig is om ‘n bydrae te maak om so min as moontlik elektrisiteit te gebruik. Kom ons oorweeg dinge soos die installering van sonwaterverwarmingstelsels, die gebruik van gastoestelle en die installering van energiebesparende gloeilampe in ‘n poging om soveel moontlik elektrisiteit te bespaar. Dit is eintlik in ons land, in ons stad en in ons eie belang!
Ek dank u.
Councillor Gert Pretorius
DA Spokesperson: Energy and Electricity
0825523590
Mr Speaker this is a very important report and although it has served before the relevant portfolio committee, I still want to say something about it. This Country and specifically our city is facing an extremely serious situation in the sense that peak period demand for electricity exceeds Eskom’s ability to supply sufficient electricity during peak periods. The sad truth is that if we are forced to do load shedding; we also load shed people. Their ability to move around freely to and from work, their ability to actually do their work and to put bread on the table, aspects related to health and education, these and more are severely affected by power outages.
In this report there are good proposals but unfortunately nothing that will immediately endeavour to address the situation. We looked at seven alternative sources for energy and I am of the opinion that we can do mush more to effect at least three of this proposals.
Eerstens Mnr die Speaker moet ons baie meer reklame maak oor die gebruik van sonkrag. Ek het dit al voorheen gese maar ek gaan dit weer se. Indien die verbruiker regtig bewus is en ek glo dat baie verbruikers wel die erens van die saak begryp sal hulle meer genee wees on self iets aan die situasie te doen. Om van sonkrag waterverwarmers gebruik te maak spaar die verbruiker nie net op sy elektrisiteitsrekening nie, maar lewer die verbruiker ‘n uiters belangrikke bydrae om minder las op Eskom se kragleweringsvermoe te plaas. Hierdie reklameveldtog kan die raad tog nie so baie kos nie en kan onmiddelik geimplimenteer word. Die raad kan byvoorbeeld in samewerking met Tshwabac en die handel permanente uitstalruimtes beskikbaar stel en die inwoners aanmoedig om hierdie uitstallings te besoek.
I want to remind this house that more than two years ago this council accepted a motion proposed, if I am not mistaken, by Councillors Dr Napier and Prof Baker that all new developments should install solar water heating as a matter of course. Economy of scale makes this a viable proposition. Are we doing this?
The second possibility is to urge residents to make use of LP gas and acquire some LP gas equipment. Most households normally prepare their main meals for the day during evening peak demand periods. The use of a gas stove can do wonders in limiting the city’s electricity demand during these critical periods. Again the council must embarked on an awareness campaign to inform our residents out there. This can also be part of a semi permanent exhibition as mentioned before.
Thirdly we should investigate and accelerate the deployment of load shedding on all existing electrical hot water systems. According to an engineering study done by IST some time ago, it should be relatively easy for the city to shed some 200-300 Megawatts during periods peak demand by using this simple approach.
Sir, I would plead with this Council that this technology be implemented rather sooner than later. The Department should be tasked with coming up with a strategic assessment and implementation plan with time lines to do this.
Mr Speaker, I plead that we opt for the easy and simple approaches first as a matter of urgency, whilst at the same time pursuing all other options as well.
Ek wil ook graag ‘n beroep op ons verbruikers doen. Dit is so dat ons as verbruikers nie aandeel gehad het in die onvermoe van Eskom om nie nou en ook nie vir die afsienbare toekoms voldoende elektrisiteit te lewer nie. Ons kan en ek glo dat dit ons landsplig is om ‘n bydrae te maak om so min as moontlik elektrisiteit te gebruik. Kom ons oorweeg dinge soos die installering van sonwaterverwarmingstelsels, die gebruik van gastoestelle en die installering van energiebesparende gloeilampe in ‘n poging om soveel moontlik elektrisiteit te bespaar. Dit is eintlik in ons land, in ons stad en in ons eie belang!
Ek dank u.
Councillor Gert Pretorius
DA Spokesperson: Energy and Electricity
0825523590
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