DURING the recent forced load-shedding, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) remotely switched off more than 90 000 geysers instead of the electricity supply to suburbs, drastically reducing those inconvenient hours without electricity.
The business sector and power utility Eskom also saw the benefit of the system and now have a pilot project within NMBM during July and August this year.
The focus of this pilot project is to determine how to increase the benefit even more for residents with the geyser load demand management.
This means that geysers will be remotely switched off from 17:00 to 21:00 every day in July and August.
Once the pilot project has been completed the switching times will revert to summer switching times 08:00 to 10:00 during morning peak and 18:00 to 20:00 during evening peak.
According to a statement issued by the NMBM, this exercise also helps to save the metro on overtime and network stability, as well as the lifespan of switchgear equipment.
Contractors from Escotek are currently busy doing inspections and validate the functionality of the system.
The municipality urged consumers not to bypass the unit as the equipment belongs to the municipality and any illegal interference could lead to the normal tampering fee of R4 000 for the first offence. – REPORTER
