GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - If it depends on University of Stellenbosch Utility Solutions , and Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality (DBNLM), a load reduction programme will be implemented in the area as soon as middle March.
Nicholls, of the university's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, is collaborating with DBNLM to make the municipality part of the Smart Municipal Areas Programme.
The programme enables a municipality to reduce its load on the grid to such an extent that it can operate independently from Eskom's gruelling load-shedding schedule.
Following the unexpected additional emergency load-shedding measures implemented by Eskom in, among others, DBNLM in December last year, the municipality started exploring alternative measures.
The Alternative Load Reduction (ALR) Programme includes the normalisation of distribution, supply and services by finding alternative means of load reduction.
The programme has already been implemented successfully at certain municipalities in the Northern Cape.
Community involvement
"The very first step in introducing any alternative programme is consumer engagement. Communities must be informed and consulted," says Nicholls.
Therefore, from 14 to 16 February, Nicholls, accompanied by councillors, conducted a roadshow throughout the DBNLM area. Meetings were held in Graaff-Reinet, Aberdeen, Willowmore, Jansenville and Klipplaat. Nieu-Bethesda and Rietbron were involved through virtual meetings. "Based on the overall turnout, I would guess we reached about 45-50% of account holders," Nicholls said.
He said the short-term solution is to alleviate the pressure of more demand than the available supply.
The solution is vested in load reduction using load curtailment combined with load limiting. In the longer run, load switching as method could assist in achieving a consistent supply of services.
Self-rotation
The objective of the programme is to assist a municipality to obtain the status of a self-rotation municipality. The plan is to eventually enable the municipality to stop disconnecting consumers from the grid.
Nicholls says the next steps are obtaining permission from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and Eskom. Once the request is officially accepted, implementation of the ALR Programme will begin.
Depending on the technical analysis, the municipality might soon be in the position to self-manage a certain reduction in load-shedding.
A huge reduction in load-shedding, or even no load-shedding, may become reality.
Nicholls says depending on all stakeholders keeping to time frames and certain detailed technicalities, this alternative programme should be implemented at the end of the second week in March.
"We have proven this is practically possible, so we can make it happen," says Nicholls.
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