The traffic lights at the intersection of Church Street and Main Road in Wellington will soon be added to the list of several intersections within the Drakenstein Municipality that is fitted with an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) system, to keep the lights on and traffic flowing during prolonged hours of load shedding.
The municipality currently operates 48 traffic lights at various intersections across its area.
Altogether 41 of them are already equipped with UPS systems and the municipality aims to have all 48 intersections fully equipped by the end of February 2024.
Drakenstein initially rolled out this R5,1 million UPS project in August last year at four intersections.
At that time, Conrad Poole, the executive mayor, said the municipality plans to install a further 10 additional systems in Paarl, Wellington, Mbekweni, Gouda, Saron, Hermon and Simondium.
“The smooth, regulated flow of traffic is vital for business, development, tourism and for our local residents – commuting, driving their children to and from school, and going about their daily business. Not only does it minimise congestion and mean less time on the road, but it also makes our roads safer and support lower emissions,” Poole said.
Speaking to Paarl Post, Louis Pienaar, the executive director for engineering services, said the installation of UPS systems was initially planned for key traffic intersections only.
“However, owing to the success of these innovative installations and the significant value they provide, the municipal council approved funding to extend the rollout to all intersections.”
He says the UPS systems form part of a R5,1 million project containing several initiatives aimed at alternative and backup energy solutions.
“Drakenstein Municipality used both internal funds and grant funding towards the R5.1 million capital investment for the project. The municipality also employed a similar approach for the installation of generators at strategic locations, including wastewater treatment works, pump stations, and municipal offices.”
He adds that the UPS, batteries, controller and other equipment are housed in underground chambers that are equipped with alarm systems that can detect any attempts to gain unauthorized access.
According to Pienaar the municipality is continually exploring alternative solutions as part of its pronged “Eskom Load Shedding Resilience Plan”, aimed at mitigating the disruptive impact of load shedding.
Further intersections in Wellington that is yet to receive a UPS system include, Pentz Upper Street and Main Road as well as Weltevrede and Piet Retief streets.
In Paarl traffic light at the intersections of, the Huguenot Bypass and Klein Drakenstein Road; Van Der Stel and Bo-Dal Josaphat Streets; Van Der Stel and Meaker Streets; and Lady Grey and Derksen Streets will soon also be added to the grid.
