It is possible to avoid power cuts if everybody saves electricity, Eskom Free State general manager Lindi Mthombeni said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“Do not think it’s your neighbour’s responsibility to save power,” she told reporters in Bloemfontein on the state of the electricity system.<\/p>\n
Mthombeni said saving energy had to become a way of life for South Africans, instead of people only responding once Eskom issued warnings.<\/p>\n
Eskom Free State network manager Moeketsi Mathosa said the main time for power saving remained the 5pm to 9pm period.<\/p>\n
“Residential customers can make the biggest difference here – switch off.”<\/p>\n
Mathosa said cold weather spells were the biggest problem for the national electricity grid. He said the national power network was a highly dynamic system.<\/p>\n
At times it would allow Eskom to warn of possible power cuts, while at other times it left no space for a warning.<\/p>\n
“At these times the focus would be to manage the system on an immediate basis,” he said, which might lead to short power cuts.<\/p>\n
Mathosa urged people to report illegal electricity connections.<\/p>\n
“Illegal connections are unpredictable, and lead to overloading of the area’s system which threatens stability.”<\/p>\n
Mathosa said if a community allowed illegal connections, Eskom could not guarantee quality and proper services.<\/p>\n
Eskom reports profit surge<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n