/ 15 October 2007

Eskom: No load shedding took place on weekend

Eskom officials breathed a sigh of relief on Monday after making it through the weekend, and South Africa’s crucial rugby victory against Argentina, without any power cuts.

”We all got to enjoy a good game of rugby,” said spokesperson Fani Zulu.

He said there may have been small localised interruptions due to technical problems caused by storms and heavy rain — as he experienced at his own home over the weekend — but otherwise, power supplies were fine.

He attributed the success to consumers practising power saving and said Eskom was heartened by this.

”People might be upset with electricity not being available, they might have got irritated, and all the emotions that go with it, but at the same time, there is that willingness to assist,” said Zulu.

Eskom warned that although there was no load shedding at present, consumers were asked to use electricity sparingly and use electrical equipment such as air-conditioning, geysers and swimming pool pumps as efficiently as possible.

Load shedding is when electricity supplies can’t meet demand and electricity supplies are cut in certain areas on a rotational basis to prevent the collapse of the entire electricity network. — Sapa