The City of Cape Town will conduct extensive testing of geyser ripple-control systems across multiple suburbs including Helderberg areas until Wednesday 3 December.
Affected areas
In the basin, the testing – which started on Wednesday 12 November – will impact residents in Strand, Gordon’s Bay and Somerset West. Other affected areas are Durbanville, Eversdal, Langverwacht, Kuils River, Kraaifontein, Langeberg and Uitkamp.
What to expect
Selected customers with ripple-control geysers will experience automatic switching on and off of their systems during the three-week testing period. The City’s Energy Directorate will remotely control these geysers between 19:00 and 21:00 on weekdays, with systems switching back on from 21:00.
Residents may hear clicking sounds from the load-control relay box, typically located near their electrical distribution board, during testing periods.
No action required
The City emphasises that affected residential customers need not take action during the testing period. The process is entirely automated and controlled remotely.
Background
Ripple-control systems have been installed across the metro’s eastern suburbs since 1978 as part of electricity-load management during peak usage times. The technology allows the City to reduce electricity demand and lower costs during high-consumption periods.
The current testing ensures proper signal communication between the City’s electrical substations and residential geyser systems, forming part of essential electrical infrastructure maintenance as required by regulations.
Support available
Residents experiencing water-heating problems after testing completion can contact the City’s Call Centre on 0860 103 089. Energy teams will assist in restoring power as quickly as possible.
