Prepaid electricity in the main, is quite a good concept to look into if you are still running a post paid system and are struggling with exorbitant monthly fees and costs. If you are controlling your energy spend with the post paid method, then this is in order however it can easily become a costly expense. Prepaid electricity too, are not without it’s errors and issues and below we will discuss some very common errors you will come across some time or the other with your prepaid electricity set-up:

Error Messages: 

1. SAD face – probably means it is just finger trouble in typing the token number – please retry
2. DDDD –  Duplicated token. The token has probably been entered already, causing this error. Please double check.
3. Error 30 – Technical error on your meter. To try and troubleshoot this error, please switch off your meter, as well as your electricity mains and give it a few minutes. Afterwards, turn back on your mains and meter back on and retry your token. If the error 30 persists, please contact your municipality and get a technician to come out and have a look at the meter.

Meter Blocked? – It does occur that a meter is blocked by a municipality’s credit control. This means that the municipality prevents your meter from making a prepaid purchase until the block is lifted. To have this lifted the client needs to sort this out with the municipality.

While we are on the subject, also important to note that any outstanding fees on your utility bill that is deemed to be in arrears, can be deducted from your prepaid electricity purchase. If this takes place, it is wise to contact the municipality to resolve this.

For more information please visit: https://straton.co.za/pre-paid/about/prepaid-meter-error-codes/

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South Africans have again been cautioned to become acclimated to control power outages for essentially the following 5 years.

The force utility executed stage two burden shedding as it battles to recuperate from various breakdowns.

Energy expert Ted Blom blames Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter: Eighteen months ago, he said he would have all the plants refurbished and that load shedding would end. Earlier this year, he has come out to say he is not going to spend that money on refurbishing the plants and it would be a better investment to put into renewable. Blom accepts the accentuation on renewable was misguided: “It is far and away more terrible because, with renewable, they are discussing battery stockpiling. there is no utility size battery stockpiling plants accessible any place on the planet. No nation is running battery stockpiling as reinforcement.”

As load shedding was implemented the last few days, Eskom could conduct some repairs to generating units and the maintenance programme proceed. Despite the fact that they were not able to replenish emergency generation reserves, but could reply on support system.

There are still risks to some generating units, which will pressurize Eskom to implement load shedding at short notice. Electricity still needs to be used sparingly to prevent possibility of load shedding. we also have to note that water pumps are also connected to electricity that supply water to the community meaning water can also be affected by load shedding.

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JOHANNESBURG – The City of Johannesburg on Thursday said exactly that as it was aware of the intense monetary environment and pressure on residents, its rates and assessment increments increases effectively one week from now were directed by expanding operating costs

Electricity rates are now up by 14.59%, followed by sanitation and water tariffs by 6.8%. Refusal removal rates are up by 4.3% whole property rate increased by 2%.

The high power climb is connected to the energy controller Nersa giving Eskom the go-ahead to charge clients and municipality more.

City Power’s Frank Hinda said: “We’re also on the receiving end as far as this is concerned. We’re cushioning the customer given that our increase from Eskom is higher.”

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods of Johannesburg residents. This has seen many people struggling to keep up with their municipal accounts as you would all have seen. This has subsequently affected the collection of municipal rates and taxes that are a source of revenue for continued service delivery.”

Hinda said he understood that the 14.59% power climb passed on  to clients would hit residents pockets hard given the current monetary environment.

The average electricity user – prepaid or conventional – consuming 800 kilowatt-hours a month – can expect to fork out somewhere in the range  R200 and R260 more a month.

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President Ramaphosa said the decision followed a broad public interview and a lot of specialized work embraced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. He said it would build the National Energy Regulator of SA’s authorizing edge for inserted age projects from 1MW to 100MW.

The changed guidelines will absolve age projects up to 100MW from the Nersa authorizing necessity, regardless of whether they are associated with the matrix.

This will eliminate a critical hindrance to interest in inserted age projects.

Ramaphosa’s declaration comes as the economy is wrestling with power outages after power provider Eskom inclined up its rotational burden shedding to Stage 4 because of consistent breakdowns.

The business has been requiring the public authority to expand the limit on inserted power age from 1MW to 50MW.

“It also demonstrates our commitment as the government to listen carefully to experts, to engage closely with our social partners, and to take on board new ideas to address our long-standing challenges,” he said.

Ramaphosa said that was a critical new advance in further transforming the power area towards accomplishing a steady and secure stock of energy.

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HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I AM GOING TO BE HIT BY LOAD SHEDDING?

The answer is very simple, know your power provider and check the correct load shedding schedules.

• City of Cape Town? Click here 
• Johannesburg? check here
• City of Tshwane? Click here
• City of Ekurhuleni? Check here
• Straight from Eskom? click here to check your load shedding schedule

For more information please check Energy expert Coalition by clicking here

Wondering how you can prepare for load shedding? 

Here are 7 simple ways to prepare for load shedding:

• Check your load shedding schedule regularly so you have enough time to prepare.
• Avoid power surges nuisance tripping: if you know that your area will be affected by Load shedding, switch off appliances, geysers, pool pumps, air conditioners, lights and other electrical equipment to reduce the risk of damage caused when the power comes back on.
• Use a solar geyser and also solar lamps when lights are out.
• Make sure your computer, laptop or phone is fully charged so you can still use them
• Draw some cash as the ATM will be offline
• Keep your bottles in the freezer so they are ice cold when load shedding starts.
• Prepare meals in advance as it is possible to wake up to no electricity and will be stuck to make breakfast or might not make it home in time to cook supper.

WHAT DOES THE DIFFERENT LOAD SHEDDING STAGES MEAN?

Stage 1: To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed 1000MW.

Stage 1 is the least disruptive of the schedules. Your area is likely to be hit Three times over a four-day period for 2 hours at a time or Three times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time

Stage 2:  To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed 2000MW

Stage 2 double the amount of the load shedding planned in stage 1 meaning your area is likely to be hit Six times over a four-day period for 2 hours at the time or Six times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.

Stage 3: To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed at most 4000MW

Stage 3 increased by 50% of the amount of the load shedding planned in stage 2 meaning your area is likely to be hit Nine times over a four-day period for 2 hours at a time or Nine times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.

Stage 4: To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed at least 4000MW

Stage 4 double the frequency of stage 2, meaning your area is likely to be hit Twelve times over a four-day period for 2 hours at a time or Twelve times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.

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How?

Simply add or save our whatsApp number 0443822484 to your smart phone and refresh your WhatsApp contact list, and you should be able to now send us a message directly to that number!

You can now send us a message or you can send us screen shots of the issue you are experiencing on Android, iOs, Windows mobile and Web as displayed by the images below. So go ahead and test it out! 

Our other support channels include:

Email: support@powertime.co.za

Office line: (021) 911 5611

Messenger: m.me/PowertimeZA

And of course, our live chat feature on our website!

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In a statement released, Eskom said that their teams have been making headway in returning multiple units to serve over the past 24hours. Eskom teams have successfully returned two generation units each at Kursile, Kriel and one at Tutuka power stations to service.

An additional two generation units are scheduled to return to service while reserves for emergency generation have also recovered adequately. However, they cautioned that with their energy use, the public should stay frugal as they remain hamstrung by aging and fragile facilities at many of their power plants.

“While the supply situation has improved at this point, Eskom would like to request the public to continue using electricity sparingly as the system is vulnerable and unpredictable” the said.

“As Eskom has regularly stated, the risk of load shedding remains elevated while we conduct increased reliability maintenance.” they currently have 4920MW put on planned maintenance, while another 13897MW of capacity is unavailable due to unplanned maintenance, breakdown and outage delays.

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Research was conducted and Wright noted 3 key steps that urgently need to be implemented to help resolve the crisis faced by Eskom and the energy grid. 

1. Customer response at scale: 
   This entails an immediate focus on customer response by enabling regulations that make it possible for the businesses and homes to generate their own power.
   This does not need to take the form of going completely off-grid, but rather generating some power to complement that which is provided by Eskom.
   This could be implemented as soon as this year and would help deal with short-term power shortages.
2.  DMRE RMPPP
   The DMRE Risk Mitigation Power Purchase Programme (RMPPP) must be accelerated to address the remaining capacity and energy gaps within the country and to ensure capacity can come online timeously.
   This programme is only set to come online in 2022, said the researchers, although this could be accelerated to mid-2021. This would result in a further reduction in load shedding.
3. Implement IRP 2019
   It is important to place an immediate focus ministerial determinations for all technologies outlined in the IRP 2019, followed by the procurement process to ensure this is implemented timeously.

Reference: click here for more information.

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“No one knows for certain if load shedding will be necessary, not even Eskom” says Yelland. It depends on the randomness of breakdowns. However, Eskom can make prediction based on their experience. The likelihood of rationing is despite demand for electricity being lower in 2020 than in 2008, “That’s because of a weaker economy, and rising electricity prices which means people are more likely to use energy such as gas” he says

However, there is a lot happening over the short term and long term that make further blackouts more likely, and means they will probably keep on happening for at least another 18 months. In the short term, Eskom’s availability generating capacity usually declines over summer. The basic reason is that demand for power is lower, so Eskom typically schedules its maintenance for the warmer months. Yelland says that “Eskom’s available power is usually lowest between December 15 and January 15″

Unfortunately, there is also an increase risk of unplanned outages during the summer. The warmer air can impact Eskom’s dry-cooled power stations, such as Medupi near Lephalale, and Kusile near Balmoral. “Think of a power station that produces 600MW. Because it is getting too hot, it can now only produce 500MW” says Yelland. It is also like a car overheating, you cannot run them flat out. If Medupi and Kusile two of Eskom’s largest power stations have 10% less output, that means there is a lot less power generated.

The power utility is embarking on a massive maintenance program over the next few months, although the exact dates are nit known; the reliability maintenance program as it is called was originally scheduled for earlier this year but was delayed due to lockdown.

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Eskom which has debt of about 454 billion rand is entangle in corruption allegations, many of them related to contracts for the maintenance and construction of power plants. Numerous allegations have been aired at a state commission of inquiry. The first contract to build an ash-handling plant and dam at the site was initially awarded to Rula bulk Materials handling in 2016. But that raised the conflict of interest issue.

Danie Odendaal, an Eskom general manager, was found in an internal probe to have signed off on a technical review used in the tender won by Rula, where his brother Roelf is a shareholder and managing director, a person familiar with the findings said. Danie Odendaal had declared a conflict and should not have participated in the decision.

Danie Odendaal remains suspended and will be going through a disciplinary process says Eskom and the details are matters between employer and employee.

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