In a disheartening update from South Africa’s electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, delivered a sobering message to the nation: there will be no quick fix to the ongoing issue of load shedding. As the country grapples with Stage 6 power cuts, a prognosis for the next four years reveals a challenging road ahead.
The recent intensification of power cuts by state-owned utility Eskom led to the country’s plunge into Stage 6 blackouts. Ongoing and long-term power cuts are now threatening to continue for weeks on end as Stage 6 shutdowns will continue over and above planned maintenance. If we bring the sudden breakdown of generating units into the mix, consumers are looking at severe constraints in generation capacity.
Eskom’s Efforts to Strengthen the System
Minister Ramokgopa shared Eskom’s recent efforts to fortify the system. With a history of negligible maintenance that led to a drop in generating capacity, Eskom says it has now embarked on a proactive strategy to reinforce its infrastructure. Ramokgopa affirmed they will “stick to planned maintenance, we’re going to stick to philosophy maintenance.” But he also recognised that this plan would intensify load shedding.
The Bleak Forecast: Load Shedding Until 2027
Thanks to a financial boost from the National Treasury, Eskom has some room to breathe, allowing it to funnel more resources into maintenance. But things will get worse before they get better. A medium-term adequacy report released by Eskom paints a bleak picture, forecasting load shedding to continue until 2027. The report underscores the challenges faced by Eskom, both internally and externally, indicating that the utility’s generation fleet is expected to decline, and there is a negative outlook for the coming years. As a result, the system will struggle to fully meet demand.
Understanding the Energy Availability Factor
The report suggests that Eskom’s energy availability factor is projected to range between 58% and 67% at the end of 2027. This factor, which measures the actual electricity generated compared to the maximum potential generation, underscores the gravity of the situation. An energy availability factor below 70% implies that power cuts are expected to persist.
The Daunting Supply Gap
Perhaps the most alarming revelation from the report is the projection of a widening supply gap. In 2023, the anticipated supply gap stands at 18 terawatt hours (TWh), an already concerning figure. However, in the worst-case scenario, this deficit is predicted to skyrocket to a staggering 30 TWh by 2027.
To put this into perspective, 18 TWh is roughly equivalent to the entire generation output of Matla power station when running at full capacity. Matla, boasting an installed capacity of 3,500MW, underlines the magnitude of this energy deficit. This shortfall places significant strain on South Africa’s industries, businesses, and households
Management-Related Issues and Acts of Sabotage
Eskom’s head of generation, Bheki Nxumalo, mentioned that Stage 6 load shedding is expected to persist, but the stages will vary as units return to service. However, there are concerns about management-related issues that are impeding maintenance efforts. There are valid suspicions that certain individuals within Eskom may be involved in acts of sabotage, and allegations of fraud and corruption are under investigation.
Internal Eskom security and investigators from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (commonly known as the Hawks) have claimed that individuals at Kusile and Tutuka power stations may be involved in these acts of sabotage. Even more shocking, there’s suspicion that some elements within management might be protecting the alleged saboteurs. Arrests have been made, such as a worker at Tutuka power station who was nabbed for allegedly stealing hydraulic oil worth over R800,000.
Addressing South Africa’s Load Shedding Challenge
It’s abundantly clear that load shedding remains a pressing issue in South Africa, with a complex web of problems affecting the nation’s electricity supply. While efforts are underway to address these issues, the road ahead is long and challenging. South Africans must brace themselves for ongoing load shedding as the country grapples with the task of revitalising its electricity infrastructure. With South Africa facing the daunting prospect of persistent load shedding, it’s clear that finding a reliable solution is more crucial than ever. That’s where S&A Generators come in as a silver lining.
At S&A Generators, we offer a range of generator solutions to suit the needs of homeowners and property owners. Our services include generator sales, installations, and maintenance, ensuring reliable backup power during load shedding. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality products and services and are committed to ensuring your satisfaction. Contact us today to find light in these dark times.
Why Generators Are Basically Portable Power Stations
Where Should A Diesel Or Petrol Generator Be Placed?
Which Generator Brand Should I Choose?
In a country where loadshedding is often topped with more unpredictable power outages having a reliable generator is a must for homeowners and property owners. Generators can be your saving grace, ensuring the lights stay on and essential appliances keep running. But just like any other machinery, generators have a lifespan. How do you know when it’s time to bid farewell to your trusty power backup and welcome a new one into your life? Let’s dive into the key indicators that suggest it might be time to replace your generator.
Age matters
Generators, like all machines, age over time. The first clue that it might be time to retire your current generator is its age. Most generators have a lifespan of around 10 to 20 years, depending on the brand, usage, and maintenance. If your generator is reaching or surpassing this age range, it’s worth considering a replacement. With technology refining itself at breakneck speed, updating your outdated generator to a modern one will give you improved efficiency and many more years of service.
Increased repair frequency
Has your local generator service provider become a regular visitor to your house? While occasional maintenance is normal, frequent breakdowns and repairs can signal a deeper issue. Constant repairs not only add up in terms of cost but also leave you vulnerable to power outages when you need your generator the most. If your repair technician‘s name is on speed dial, it might be time to explore the option of investing in a new generator.
Reduced performance
Generators should deliver consistent and reliable power. If you’ve noticed a decline in performance – such as struggling to handle your usual load or experiencing power fluctuations – it’s a sign that your generator might be on its last legs. With the increasing demands of modern households, it’s crucial to have a generator that can keep up without compromising on performance and protect your appliances.
Fuel efficiency woes
In a country where fuel costs can be a significant concern, the fuel efficiency of your generator matters. Older models may not be as fuel-efficient as their newer counterparts. If you’ve noticed a considerable increase in fuel consumption without a corresponding increase in power output, it’s time to consider a more efficient replacement. Newer generators often come with advanced technology that maximises fuel usage, saving you money in the long run.
Noise and emissions
Is your generator making more noise than usual? Excessive noise and emissions are not only annoying but also indicative of underlying issues. Modern generators are designed to operate quietly and produce minimal emissions. If your current generator is creating a disturbance or emitting toxic fumes, it’s time to explore quieter and eco-friendly options available on the market.
Weathering the storms
South Africa’s climate can be harsh, with extreme weather conditions ranging from scorching heat to heavy rain and even occasional snow. If your generator has endured its fair share of these weather challenges over the years, it might be showing signs of wear and tear. Exposure to the elements can degrade a generator’s components and affect its overall performance. Consider replacing your generator if it has weathered one too many storms.
As a homeowner or property owner in South Africa, navigating the challenges of load shedding, weather fluctuations, and power outages requires a reliable and efficient generator. Recognising the signs that your generator is inefficient can save you from the frustration and inconvenience of sudden breakdowns. If your generator is ageing, requiring frequent repairs, underperforming, or becoming less fuel-efficient, it clearly indicates that it’s time to consider an upgrade.
When it comes to ensuring uninterrupted power supply, S&A Generators stands as your trusted partner. With a range of cutting-edge generators equipped to handle South Africa’s unique challenges, S&A Generators is committed to keeping your lights on and your appliances running. Our services extend beyond providing generators; we offer expert advice, installation, and maintenance to ensure your power backup system is always ready to step in when the grid goes down. Ready to upgrade to a reliable and efficient generator? Contact us today and discover how we can tailor a power backup solution to your needs.
Can Generators Cause Damage to Electronics?
Can You Run A Generator Continuously?
Where Should A Diesel Or Petrol Generator Be Placed?
How To Extend The Life Of Your Generator
South Africa’s industrial sector is the backbone of the nation’s economy, driving growth and providing employment opportunities. However, it faces numerous challenges, including frequent power outages due to load shedding, unpredictable weather conditions, as well as unrest and strikes. In this demanding environment, generators play a vital role in ensuring uninterrupted power supply and safeguarding productivity. Let’s delve into why generators are of paramount importance to the industrial sector in South Africa.
The Impact of Load Shedding
Load shedding has become a familiar term for South Africans, causing significant disruptions in both personal and professional lives. The scheduled power cuts, needed to balance the national grid’s demand and supply, have severe consequences for industrial operations. The impact of load shedding on the manufacturing sector has been significant. According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), the industry experienced a 4.3% decline in output during load shedding periods in 2021. Although there has been a rebound in production at the beginning of the second quarter of 2023, the industry continues to be hampered by the effects of electricity supply disruptions. In addition to the challenges posed by load shedding, South Africa’s diverse weather conditions further compound the need for reliable power solutions in the industrial sector.
Weather-Related Challenges
South Africa’s diverse weather conditions, including thunderstorms, heavy rains, and strong winds, pose additional challenges to the power infrastructure. These weather events often lead to unexpected power failures, leaving businesses in a vulnerable position. A study conducted by the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas reveals that extreme weather events have caused an average annual loss of 0.3% to the country’s GDP from 2000 to 2019. By investing in generators, industries can mitigate the impact of power outages due to these challenges, ensuring continuity and minimising financial losses.
Unrest and Strikes
Unrest and strikes are unfortunate realities that South Africans are familiar with. These events can significantly impact industrial operations, leading to temporary shutdowns and disruptions in power supply. Beyond the immediate disturbances, businesses may also face property damage, looting, and logistical difficulties. In such challenging circumstances, having backup generators becomes crucial as they provide a reliable source of power to keep essential operations running to minimise the impact of unrest or strikes on productivity.
Uninterrupted Operations and Increased Productivity
Generators provide a reliable solution to combat power outages and keep businesses running smoothly. When the power grid fails, or load shedding occurs, generators seamlessly kick in, ensuring uninterrupted operations. This reliability translates into increased productivity and minimised downtime, allowing industries to fulfil orders, meet deadlines, and maintain customer satisfaction.
Protection for Equipment and Assets
Voltage fluctuations pose a significant threat to sensitive machinery and equipment. Without a stable power supply, businesses may face equipment damage with costly repairs or replacements. Generators offer a consistent and clean power source, protecting valuable assets and extending their lifespan. In the long run, this translates into substantial cost savings for businesses.
Emergency Preparedness
It’s always a good idea to be prepared for eventualities, but South Africans might just need to bring some extra vigilance to the table. Companies and factories can only benefit from having a robust emergency preparedness plan ready. Although the manufacturing sector in the country is vulnerable, there is always a light in the tunnel. Generators serve as a critical component of emergency plans, providing a steady and reliable backup power source. By having generators on-site, businesses can navigate through unforeseen power disruptions and industrial challenges, ensuring continuity and minimising the impact on operations.
S&A Generators is a trusted provider of reliable generator solutions for homeowners and property owners in South Africa. With a comprehensive range of generators tailored to meet various needs, we ensure that customers can find the perfect fit for their requirements. Visit our website to learn more about our expertise, our commitment to quality, service, and customer satisfaction. Our team of skilled technicians ensures that generators are installed correctly and operating optimally. Regular maintenance and prompt repairs are essential to keep generators running smoothly, and S&A Generators’ professionals are well-equipped to handle any servicing needs. If you’re looking for a service provider that offers installation, maintenance, and repairs, contact S&A Generators today!
Can Generators Cause Damage to Electronics?
Is It Safe To Run A Generator In The Rain?
Can You Run A Generator Continuously?
Why Generators Are Basically Portable Power Stations
Loadshedding has become a frustrating reality that’s here to stay for the foreseeable future. But it’s not just a matter of being without power – it can also be incredibly disruptive and pose risks to our electronic devices and appliances. Without a backup power solution, load shedding can mean hours of inconvenience, including cold meals and no Wi-Fi for work or leisure. And that first cup of coffee to start the day? Well, that might be out of the question too.
As stage 6 loadshedding continues to plague South Africa, generators can provide reliable backup power to avoid frustration, disruption, and potential damage. But can a generator be run continuously to provide uninterrupted power? Let’s find out.
Firstly, it’s critical to understand that generators are not designed to run continuously. The Electrical Contractors Association of South Africa (ECASA) recommends running a generator for a maximum of 12 hours at a time and then allowing it to rest for at least 30 minutes. Doing this will give the generator a chance to cool down and prevent it from overheating.
The type of generator you have will also affect how long it can run continuously. The runtime of a generator is influenced by its fuel type, capacity, and load. Diesel generators tend to have longer runtimes than petrol generators. Additionally, the generator’s capacity, or the amount of power it can produce, will affect how long it can run before refuelling. The load on the generator, or how much energy it is being asked to generate, will also affect its runtime. A generator running at full capacity will burn more fuel and run out faster than one that only provides power to a few critical appliances.
Continuously running a generator for long periods can cause it to overheat, resulting in damage to the engine, and could ultimately lead to the generator breaking down. Overloading a generator can also harm the engine and could result in a fire hazard. It’s crucial to ensure the generator is not overloaded and provides power to appliances within its capacity.
Additionally, the weather conditions in South Africa can impact a generator’s performance. Running a generator in extremely hot or cold temperatures can affect its efficiency and lifespan. Generators are designed to operate within specific temperature ranges. Always ensure that the generator is kept in a well-ventilated area and is not exposed to extreme temperatures.
Regular maintenance and servicing of a generator are crucial to its performance and lifespan. Generators should be serviced at least once a year. However, oil levels, air filters, and spark plugs should be checked more often. Neglecting regular maintenance can lead to decreased performance and even permanent damage to the generator.
Generators can be a lifesaver during loadshedding, but it’s essential to understand how to use them safely and effectively. So, how do you know if your generator is being overstrained? Keep an eye out for warning signs such as a burning smell, unusual noises, or the engine shutting down unexpectedly. If your generator is producing less power than usual, it may also be a sign that it’s overstrained. Another warning sign is increased fuel consumption: If your generator is burning through fuel more quickly than usual, it may be a sign that it is working harder than it should be.
If you notice any of these signs, take action immediately! Switch off the generator and seek the assistance of a qualified technician.
At S&A Generators, we offer a range of generator solutions to suit the needs of homeowners and property owners. Our services include generator sales, installations, and maintenance, ensuring that our clients have reliable backup power during loadshedding. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality products and services and are committed to ensuring our clients’ satisfaction. Contact us today to find out how we can assist you with your backup power needs.
Backup Generator vs. Emergency Generator
The Dangers Of Using A Generator Indoors
How To Extend The Life Of Your Generator
Is It Safe To Run A Generator In The Rain?
Hospitals are such important institutions in our society, and the life-saving technologies found in modern hospitals require constant electricity to remain operational and impactful. Standby generators are there when the power grid goes down and can ensure that hospitals remain open and available to help their surrounding communities. In this article, we’re looking at five reasons why every hospital needs a standby generator.
- Keep life-saving equipment on
Ventilators, defibrillators, incubators and other pieces of hospital equipment need to stay working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Without that, people are vulnerable and might not survive their stay. This life-saving equipment extends to things like elevators, which save precious time in emergency situations.
- Keep medicines and samples fresh
Every hospital has a number of fridges and other refrigeration tools where medicines, samples, specimens and other things are stored. These are better left operational, to ensure medicines are kept fresh and there are no cases of contamination.
- Ensure no breakdown of communication
Hospitals are normally furnished with internal communications networks. These are so that staff can remain in constant communication with one another. This is especially important in emergency situations (hospitals have their fair share of these).
- Avoid wasting food and other perishables
When the power goes out for an indefinite amount of time, fridges start to thaw and the perishables contained within begin to decompose. In a hospital kitchen, these are things like fresh ingredients and foodstuffs meant to feed patients and the staff.
- Deliver better patient care at all times
The power goes off and a hospital’s generator isn’t operational. Staff begin to scurry in order to mitigate the impact of the power failure, and they aren’t attending to patients that are in need. With a generator in place, it can kick in without anyone even noticing.
What type of generator should a hospital have?
Every hospital should have a backup generator, but we know that no two hospitals are the same. Some are busy, bustling inner city multi-level buildings, while others are quieter, smaller medical centres. These two examples will need different generator capacities to power the entire building. A smaller generator might be a petrol-run, while larger industrial generators commonly run on diesel. If you’re not 100% sure of the type of generator your medical centre or large hospital requires, think about requesting a site inspection from generator experts.
Generators for hospitals and hospital generator repairs
S&A Generators offers new generator installations in KwaZulu-Natal, including hospital generator repairs and generator fuel refills. Contact us to arrange a generator inspection for your hospital generator. We’ll assess your backup power generation needs and offer the best solution for your situation. Have a look at previous S&A Generators projects to see what we’ve achieved for our clients recently.
Recent tragic events in South Africa have cast a spotlight on generators, and how these load shedding lifesavers can potentially become lethal when operated recklessly. We thought we’d share a few of the dangers people create when using a diesel generator indoors. We’ve also provided a few generator pointers to make sure yours is safe as houses.
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
CO poisoning is caused when a person inhales too much carbon monoxide from a fuel-burning source. In this case, the exhaust fumes coming from an indoor generator can build up inside rooms where people spend time, exposing them to CO fumes and eventual death.
- Accidental Electrocution
Backup generators are designed to live outdoors, and manufacturers make them with this in mind. Having these high-potency electrical connections inside a dwelling is a recipe for disaster, and a one-way ticket to an electrocution.
- Hearing Damage
Let’s face it: if you don’t soundproof a generator, they can be quite noisy sometimes. You don’t know just how loud they are until you’re standing right next to one. Indoors, this racket will echo and amplify, and spending too much time with it in the next room could lead to hearing problems.
Generator advice to prevent disaster
Generators certainly aren’t toys, and should never be treated as one would a low-voltage power tool. Here are a few pieces of advice for anyone with a backup generator:
- Only ever operate a generator outdoors
As a rule of thumb, only ever power up a generator when it’s outside. It needs to be covered outdoors, but there should be nothing blocking the exhaust fumes from dissipating into the atmosphere.
- Keep your generator properly grounded
When last did you check the integrity of your generator’s grounding? This critical component of safe electrical use is also a hallmark of safe generator operation. If you’re not sure of yours, give a generator specialist a call.
- Avoid ever getting your generator wet
Treat a generator like any valuable piece of equipment. You wouldn’t leave a lawnmower out in the rain, so give your generator only dry days by ensuring it’s covered and sheltered from the rain and other water sources.
- Install CO detectors if you’re concerned
Carbon Monoxide can’t be seen, tasted or smelt. You wouldn’t know there’s a CO problem in your home until it’s too late. To ensure a disaster scenario never happens, consider installing CO detectors that will alert you to high levels of carbon monoxide.
Looking for Durban’s generator specialists?
At S&A Generators we apply decades of combined generator and electrical expertise to each project we’re involved with. We’ve facilitated new generator installations, generator relocations, planned generator maintenance, and emergency generator services like critical generator repairs and fuel refills. Please feel free to Contact Us with any and all of your generator-related requirements!
