For over 14 years South Africans have contended with intermittent and often short-notice power cuts, thanks to Eskom’s now infamous Load Shedding strategy. As the world slowly starts to get a hold of the pandemic, economic activity is set to grow dramatically in 2022, which will put further strain on our already struggling power grid. So, will load shedding still be an issue through 2022? It looks highly likely, but here’s what the experts have to say:
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Electricity & the Energy Availability Factor
The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) is a percentage-based system showing the total portion of electricity being produced by Eskom’s total maximum generating capacity. We need only look at the Energy Availability Factors for the first half of the past two years to see that our energy issues are far from over. For the first half of 2021, the EAF was 61.3%. This compared to 65% in 2020 and 66.9% in 2019.
What should we expect for 2022?
Expect load shedding to continue throughout 2022, something Eskom themselves have suggested to South Africa. There are a bunch of reasons why electricity supply will be touch-and-go in 2022, but the main one is the refurbishment of two 970MW units at Koeberg Power Station in the Western Cape. Eskom predicts this will take at least 10 months, which means we are guaranteed load shedding up until at least August 2022.
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Ways to brace yourself for load shedding
Complaining about it does nothing to help you deal with load shedding. The best thing you can do is to start preparing for when we get that overnight announcement that planned power cuts have returned.
- Download a load shedding tracker app
How do you keep track of the load shedding schedules? They are so confusing, private individuals have invested in simplifying things using free mobile apps. These are updated in real time as load shedding is announced, and you can easily find and save the schedule for your suburb. - Keep an ever-present supply of candles
Do you have a decent stash of candles and matches? Torches and other light-producing gadgets are great, but they require either batteries or recharging in order to operate. With enough candles on hand, you can keep your home illuminated no matter how long the power takes to return. - Power banks and mobile Wi-Fi devices
If you rely on electrical supply to power your computer or laptop and internet router, load shedding is going to cause you issues throughout 2022. Consider investing in power banks so that you can keep your phone charged, and mobile Wi-Fi (MiFi) devices so that you can stay connected to the internet.
- Invest in a reliable alternative power source
You could buy every candle in your local supermarket, download load-shedding apps, and fork out for the best power banks and mobile internet technology available. You could also just install a power generator and not have to bother with the first three at all.
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Laugh in the face of load shedding in 2022
Don’t let load shedding in 2022 hinder your dreams and aspirations for your home or business. Backup power systems are the anti-load shedding solutions that more and more South Africans are turning to as they attempt to mitigate the lasting negative impacts of erratic power cuts. S&A Generators is your Durban-based backup power and diesel generator specialists, offering new generator installs, generator repairs, generator maintenance, and refilling of generators. Get in touch with our team and keep your lights on throughout 2022!