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PLETTENBERG Bay is doing its bit to contribute to Eskom’s load management initiatives by rolling out a geyser control switch project.
Dubbed the Residential Load Management (RLM) project, it involves the installation of geyser control switches – allowing the municipality to remotely turn off residents’ geysers for between 20 and 40 minutes during peak demand times – shifting electricity demand out of these high-use periods.
“We are facing supply challenges both nationally and locally and this is one of the measures to address the issue,” Bitou mayor Memory Booysen said at recent media briefing.
Geysers account for between 30% and 50% of a household’s electricity consumption and residential users are the biggest contributors to the spike in demand between 5pm and 9pm.
Willie Botha from Energy Insight – the energy services company appointed to oversee installations – said the aim was to save about 1MW after installing 970 new load switches and reconnecting 780 old relays.
The Bitou electricity department manager for electrical and mechanical engineering Peter Harpestad said the reason some houses were already equipped with these switches, was that in the late 1990s the municipality embarked on a similar project. This however failed without a well-planned strategy and support from the get-go. It cost the municipality about R54 000 per month for 60 months.
This time around the initiative is well-supported from the start and is entirely funded by the energy regulator Nersa and Eskom.
Botha said although the device would however not reduce the home owner’s electricity bill, it would save the municipality money as it paid Eskom more for electricity during peak periods.
“There is also a fallacy out there that these switches actually increase the user’s electricity consumption when the geyser is switched back on. This is not true. The loss of heat during the period it is switched off is minimal, so there will not be any added cost for the consumer,” Harpestad said.
This also ensures that the household still has hot water during the switch-off, which will be staggered to ensure not all geysers are switched off at once.
The units will be installed at no cost to the home owner.
All those involved in the installation phase will receive the necessary training from Engergy Insight. “And to ensure the safety of residents - each person involved will also undergo police clearance.”
The rollout will start on June 17 and is expected to end by September 30 where after the project will be handed over to the municipality. The municipality will be responsible for the maintenance of the units – which according to Botha are robust and should last up to 25 years.
Since 2006 40 similar projects have been rolled out across South Africa – all yielding savings.
Residents can contact the project office on 012-345-5215 during office hours for more information, to verify anything about the process or to make an appointment.
