Eishkom strikes again

Eskom turns down power request
28/03/2008 08:32 - (SA)

Miners make a plan on Eskom Homeless protest over housing 'Poor to be hit by Eskom hikes' 'I sympathise with Eskom'

Johannesburg - An Eskom appeal board has rejected an application for bulk electricity to a new mixed housing development on the West Rand, Business Report wrote on Friday.

It said the flagship public-private partnership near Kagiso in Mogale City was to provide 9 315 residential units.

Eskom's appeal board turned down the application because it viewed it as a private development.

It said if this request was allowed to continue, the same ruling would have to apply to all other private developments.

The principle applied by Eskom this case had the potential to derail many other similar public-private partnerships, said Business Report.

This could thwart the government's drive to eradicate informal settlements.

The Kagiso Azaadville development is a joint initiative between the Mogale City local municipality, the Gauteng Department of Housing and Absa.

Sipho Mashini, the managing executive of Absa Development Company, confirmed the appeal had failed.

But he was confident that, together with the Gauteng Housing Department, the problem would be sorted out because it was one of the department's flagship projects.

"It will become one of those political decisions that need to be taken at a senior level. You can't stop housing delivery because of electricity-related issues," Mashini said.

"We had a commitment from them (Eskom) before we started and now they have suddenly decided they can't supply. It's a typical Eskom attitude. They say they 'can't, can't, can't', but when they get pushed, they do provide."

Clipsal C Bus Energy Saving and Automation

You have worked hard for your current financial standing, you are in the planning stages of your first "dream home"and the Eish-kom crisis is forcing you to re think. Your focus is now on conserving power as apposed to unadulterated opulence. You have instructed your Architect to "GO GREEN" but what does GOING GREEN actually mean?. Where does the process start and where does it end? I am not sure that any of the Hollywood stars arriving at the awards in the Toyota Hybrid sedan are truly energy conscious and really trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Human beings whether wealthy or destitute create an enormous amount of waste products, The amount of refuse created by modern day family life has almost quadrupled when compared to families 50 years ago so what, if anything are we doing about it?The reality is that we are eating, drinking, breeding, diapering,burning, writing, printing, heating, cooling ourselves to destruction. The words "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" take on a whole new meaning in this modern world. How can we control a world that is completely out of control, Remember the movie "Mad Max" well now you are planning to watch it on the big screen in your own personalised 7.1 home theater and will be spending on your surround sound and speakers what your father earned in his lifetime. Forget the guilt trip, let me put together a smart energy saving system that will quite simply blow you away so that whilst you are enjoying all the mod cons that are available for you to enjoy, your home is intelligently seeking and implementing energy saving solutions all day every day

Energy sources and popular belief

In the current cycle of life as we know it, we are becoming more and more aware of the damage to our environment. We are aware that we are in all likely hood "in our lifetime" going to be exposed to point zero, when life as we know it will change forever. Do you remember the hype surrounding the millennium with so many people predicting the end of the world, doomsday and Y2K. Do you remember how Y2K affected the economy with banks spending fortunes updating their computerised equipment and many clients withdrawing their funds preempting the "Money Crash". How quickly we forget and move forward with our heads in the sand, how can the powers that be, support nuclear energy when the by product of the nuclear process is deadly to mankind and to all life on the planet. Hello anyone out there ??How can we condone the nuclear radio active threat that will outlast us and anything on the planet,? Why are not insisting on exploring the alternatives? Who is making the money today and contributing to our destruction tomorrow?

FREE AND CLEAN ENERGY DOES EXIST, and that might be the crux of the matter, who is going suffer when there is no more sale of electrical energy? If Solar takes over, and it should, what happens the the Eishkom`s of the world. What happens to the coal mining industry, the electricians, heavy equipment manufacturers, tyre manufacturers, mining houses, the stock exchange the worlds financial markets built on mining stocks and energy sectors stocks, etc etc. CAN WE HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT WE AS A PLANET AND LIFE FORM CAN AFFORD TO PUT LOGIC,SENSITIVITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ABOVE THE MIGHTY DOLLAR. The answer quite simply is no! so I guess enjoy the sunshine whilst we still can

Cost of electricity

Eskom demands 53% hike
18/03/2008 21:56 - (SA)

Cuts hitting only 50% - survey Eskom wants 53% tariff hike Mines get Eskom breather Gauteng hit most by blackouts Power state 'extremely serious' Unexpected power cuts across SA Jo'burg opts for 4-hour cuts Cold weather causes power cuts Expect power cuts - Eskom SA 'not saving enough power' Electricity price hike on cards SA to spend R1.3trn on power Eskom forks out for good coal Eskom wants tariff hike review 'Quick hit' power plan for SA

Cape Town - Eskom wants to raise its tariffs by more than 50%, the National Electricity Regulator of SA (Nersa) announced on Tuesday.

If granted, the increase will replace the 14.2% hike Eskom was allowed by Nersa in December last year.

That increase is scheduled to come into effect from April 1.

Nersa said: "Eskom has applied for a revision of the price for 2008/'09 from 14.2% to 53% increase (sic) or a 60% nominal increase."

It said Eskom wanted the revision because of what the utility said were its higher primary energy costs, and "accelerated demand side management" costs.

"In the light of the current electricity supply shortage and load shedding in the country, the energy regulator will give urgent attention to Eskom's application and make its decision after following due process."

Nto Rikhotso of Eskom's media desk confirmed earlier that the new application would be lodged on Tuesday afternoon, but that she could not reveal the increase sought.

She said Nersa would open up a public-participation process once the request was lodged.

"It's their prerogative to communicate what we have submitted to them," she said.

R10m performance bonuses

In allowing a 14.2% hike last year, Nersa rejected Eskom's bid for 18.7%.

Eskom said at the time it needed the increase to maintain effective operations following a steep increase in coal cost and the need to finance capital expenditure.

Its managers are scheduled to receive performance bonuses of shares valued at R10m at the end of this month.

The hike - whether 14.2% or 53% - comes in the wake of a 2c a kiloWatt hour electricity levy announced last month by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, and amid a new round of nationwide power cuts.

Reacting earlier to media reports that the hike sought was 24%, trade union Solidarity said South Africans could not afford the increase.

It urged Nersa to reject the request.

More cheerful news from Eskom on Tuesday afternoon was that South Africans would probably not be left in the dark at the Easter weekend.

Load shedding to continue

It said in a statement that two of the nine generating units that had been out of action on "unscheduled maintenance" came back earlier in the day, and two more were expected to come on line on Tuesday evening.

"However, load shedding will continue until after evening peak (21:00) as the wet weather continues," it said.

"The cold and wet weather has increased the demand for electricity and adversely affects coal handling at the power stations."

Eskom said it was load shedding up to 2 500mW, and the risk of cuts would remain until Thursday.

"We don't expect any load shedding during the long weekend as demand patterns are historically lower during holidays," said Erica Johnson, Eskom's chief officer for networks.

Earlier on Tuesday, before any units were restored, Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger said the power situation was "extremely serious".

He warned that in the unlikely, but possible, event of more generating-unit failures, power to mining companies would have to be cut.

Rikhotso said that mines were operating on rationed power, and the long-term plan was that this would be "ramped up" in stages.

An announcement on Monday that Gold Fields had been allocated additional power for use at its Kloof and Driefontein gold mines formed part of this process.

"It's going to be done for all of them," she said.

Possible class action

In January, power shortages forced gold and platinum mines to shut down for five days.

Solidarity announced on Tuesday that its leadership had resolved at an "emergency" meeting to prepare for a possible class action on behalf of mineworkers "should Eskom persist with plans to reduce electricity supplies to mines".

It said it would send a letter to Eskom warning that workers who lost their jobs due to negligence on the part of Eskom or government would be entitled to claim damages.

"Reduced electricity supplies to mines will almost certainly result in job losses," it said.

"Power provision at 90% of normal consumption (the current level to most mines) can cost as many as 20 000 jobs."

Solidarity also would ask President Thabo Mbeki to appoint an independent team to support him in seeking a solution to the electricity crisis.

Dirty Energy

Suicide gas

Last updated: 28 January 2008

Carbon monoxide gas produced by incorrectly used portable electricity generators can kill in minutes, warns an urgent public safety advisory issued by Occupational Care South Africa. It could be called the "suicide gas": each year thousands of people deliberately inhale it, usually in the exhaust fumes of their own cars. Subscribe to Health24's daily tip and stand a chance of winning R1000! Enter your details here to WIN! Daily tip: Name: Surname: Email address: Advertisement But carbon monoxide (CO) has also caused more accidental deaths than any other poison in history – not just because it’s deadly, but because it slips under the radar of the human senses: you can’t see, smell or taste it, and it doesn’t irritate the skin or mucous membranes. And it’s fast-acting. By the time you notice symptoms of poisoning, it’s often too late. Generators a life-threating hazard Occupational Care South Africa (OCSA) is concerned that rolling blackouts have led to many members of the public purchasing generators - a purchase that introduces a life-threatening hazard into the home or workplace. In an urgent safety advisory issued this month, OCSA points out that: "A generator's exhaust contains poisonous CO which can kill you in a matter of minutes." Common carbon monoxide sources Carbon monoxide is produced as a result of the incomplete combustion of any carbon-based fuel (petroleum, gas, paraffin, oil, coal, wood, charcoal, etc). Thus potential sources of dangerous CO levels include motor vehicle exhaust fumes, and the combustion fumes from fuel-burning appliances – such as charcoal braai grills, camping stoves, fireplaces, gas stoves and heaters, wood and coal ovens, and petrol generators and power tools. When these appliances are kept in good working order and used correctly with sufficient ventilation, they don’t carry a high risk for CO poisoning. But faulty appliances used in enclosed (or even semi-enclosed) spaces, for example a charcoal braai grill burning in the kitchen or a car engine running in a closed garage, can cause CO to build up to fatal levels. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning Low levels of CO poisoning are often mistaken for those of other common ailments, like ‘flu, and may include: headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath. You can strongly suspect CO poisoning if these symptoms improve when you go outside. With higher levels of poisoning, symptoms become more severe, and include worsening headaches, vomiting, fainting, confusion and impaired vision and hearing. At very high levels, CO causes loss of consciousness, coma and eventually death. Symptoms can occur within minutes of exposure to the gas, and you can succumb to its effects before you’re able to seek fresh air and safety. People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning even more easily. Unborn babies, infants, and people with anaemia or a history of heart or respiratory disease are especially susceptible to the effects of CO exposure. Breathing low levels of the gas can cause increased chest pain and fatigue in people with chronic heart disease. Even healthy people who survive breathing high levels of CO can be left with permanent heart or brain damage. If you think you’re experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning: Get fresh air immediately. Turn off any fuel-burning appliances, and go outside. Call emergency medical services if anyone shows signs of losing consciousness, or if other symptoms do not quickly improve. Even if you start to feel better, call your doctor at once and tell him or her that you suspect CO poisoning. If you’ve been suffering from chronic ‘flu-like symptoms, ask your doctor if it could be low-level CO poisoning, and have any fuel-burning appliances professionally checked. How to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning can be avoided simply by making sure you know how to use fuel-burning appliances correctly with sufficient ventilation, and getting them professionally inspected once a year. The following guidelines from OCSA as regards portable generators can also be applied to other fuel-burning appliances: Never use a portable generator inside a home, garage, shed or other partially enclosed space, even if doors and windows are open. Use portable generators outside only, far away from the home. Keep the generator away from openings to the home, including doors, windows and vents. Read the label on the generator and the owner's manual, and follow the instructions. Install CO alarms with battery backup in the home outside each sleeping area. Why carbon monoxide forms during incomplete combustion When carbon-based fuel burns efficiently (i.e. there is plenty of oxygen), then each carbon (C) atom in the fuel bonds with two oxygen (O) atoms from the air to form carbon dioxide (CO2), the same gas we normally exhale. But when there isn’t enough oxygen available for the fuel to burn completely, then each carbon atom bonds with just one oxygen atom to form carbon monoxide (CO). Olivia Rose-Innes, EnviroHealth expert, Health24, updated January 2008

Energy Crisis

Energy Crisis, what crisis?? Is this the future!!!

Hot water

Here is fine example of an energy efficient hot water system. AWA

Managing your electricity

We have put together a unit capable of controlling two geysers and a stove. Typically controlling the geysers with a timer firstly to reduce time of use watt hours and also to reduce total Kw by ensuring that the geysers are never on-load at the same time and further to automatically switch both geysers off the minute you have switched on the stove. Once cooking has been completed and the stove has been switched off the timing cycles on the geysers would resume automatically. We are confident that we can achieve a 30% reduction in your monthly electricity usage and of course on your electricity bill. These units are supplied and fitted for a mere R4,100.00 per household. This would include traveling provided the installation is within 20km of Fourways Mall. In most instances payback is currently within 24 months however with ESKOM poised to increase their pricing by a minimum 28% this payback period will improve dramatically. Add to this the fact that we are also going to be penalised for not reducing our usage by at least 20% then the above option has no flaws. Contact Thornton Group to arrange your installation. Speak to Roger or Susan on 011 467 0063 or Roger on 084 689 0635 or email roger@thorntongroup.co.za

Energy management

Well we are all aware that our utility is threatening to penalise us if we (the customers) do not reduce our usage, how bizarre is this concept. Imagine Coca Cola encouraging us NOT to purchase Coke and encouraging us to by an alternative brand and then threatening to charge us double if we consume too much coke!!!!!!!!!!

And we the South African consumers sit back and accept this situation as "normal". THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.
Reducing one`s carbon footprint is commendable and energy saving and green practices should be encouraged however it is a fact that these practices are often expensive and out of reach for the vast majority. So we must look to the government to encourage and even fund"Green initiatives" so that all spectrum's of the community and the world at large can benefit. The spin off with alternative energy sources is the reduced cost of distribution and with the level of copper theft in Africa, alternative energy sources will pay for themselves over and over again. The typical 15 year payback period for capital expenditure for electrical distribution would still be met however this would be in terms of savings, not profits previously generated from the sale of electricity, so how does one raise capital from "saving" initiatives" ? This should not concern Eskom or the Government as clearly they are no longer interested in selling electricity and they are spending millions on a marketing campaign encouraging us not to use electricity. Something is really really out of line in this picture

www.thorntongroup.co.za

Research in South Africa has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.

A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 5 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical level of concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

energy management

news this morning record defaults on home loan repayments, hello. How many people do you know who are really prospering right now? How many companies are having serious cash flow problems. It seems that finding business is not yet a problem, getting paid however has become a full time occupation. With companies like us in the technical service industry, getting paid is a major problem. The common So our president and his cronies reckon that the energy crisis and subsequent delay in the roll out of new building projects will not affect jobs nor the economy, this is really, really ignorant. On thebelief quite obviously is that electricians and plumbers don't have families, or if they do have families they don't need to eat. This non payment culture in SA is already killing job creation across the board. So this energy crisis is effecting the economy at grass roots level and it can only pull the carpet out from under a crumbling ignorant empire which will collapse in a cloud of dust labeled "the African energy crisis" Load shedding in South Africa is all about not taking responsibility for ones career, position, or title and only concerning oneself with ones own self worth and self importance.

Well said Bill

'They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English.

I can't even talk the way these people talk:

Why you ain't,
Where you is,
What he drive,
Where he stay,
Where he work,
Who you be...

And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk.

And then I heard the father talk.

Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.

In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.

People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around.

The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.

These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids.

$500 sneakers for what ? ?

And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics.

I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit.

Where were you when he was 2 ? ?

Where were you when he was 12 ? ?

Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol ? ?

And where is the father ? ? Or who is his father ?

People putting their clothes on backward:
Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong?

People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something ?

Or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up ?

Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body?

What part of Africa did this come from??

We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa

With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap .. . .. . .

and all of them are in jail.

Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem.

We have got to take the neighborhood back.

People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men or whatever you call them now.

We have millionaire football players who cannot read.

We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job.

Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us.

We have to start holding each other to a higher standard.

We cannot blame the white people any longer.'

Dr. William Henry 'Bill' Cosby, Jr., Ed.D.



WELL SAID, BILL !!

It's NOT about color...

It's about behavior!!!

PASS THIS ON AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!!

Political Energy Management

So Eskom and Government admit there is a national skills shortage crisis, but still insist that at least 50% of the thousands of posts open will be filled by Black Women, hello is anyone out there??
No mention of filling the posts by suitably qualified people just Black Women, well we have seen where current levels of incompetence have gotten us , in the dark literally. So what are these black women going to do in Eskom no one is actually sure as long as the quotas have been achieved who cares about tomorrow???Try to get your child into a suitable college to study electrical engineering and you will find that these colleges are falling apart, have closed, are closing or have relocated to black homeland areas which would not be a bad thing if anyone in these areas were interested in studying to become and electrician. What this all amounts to is another angle on energy saving, none of our current decision makers are wasting any energy on making informed or even intelligent decisions. So do we have a skills shortage or an abundance of skilled pretenders or imposter's with apparent lack of pride or self respect. How does one take on a position of authority knowing full well that you are not competent to fill the position in the first place, where is your self respect?

Energy Management

So Monday has arrived happy Shark Supporters and miserable Bulls supporters , who cares about electricity shortages and load shedding?? This crisis is affecting more of us than the government would like to admit. General speaking most small to medium businesses suffered last year and went on summer vacation expecting an upturn in the beginning of 2008, we certainly did not see reality coming so fast and overwhelming. We are powerless in the true sense of the word. Most of the families I know are going backwards at the moment, forgetting the past several years of Bliss it is now difficult to maintain the lifestyle we have become accustomed to and it seems that it is not going to get better. The new South Africa that was all blown up and important was unfortunately just that "all blown up". I am amazed at where we direct our anger and frustrations. Lets get real, we should be the strongest continent in the world,we have all the natural recourse's right here that the western world is reliant on , we should and could rule the world, It is in Americas and Brittan's interest to support unrest and chaos in Africa so that they can control their costs and profits on Copper, coal, fuels, diamonds, gold, uranium, manganese. So we sit and wonder how a man with the intelligence of a 10 year old can be in the running to run this country, especially when his 11 year old relative has already completely destroyed his country and where are the boys in blue, saving all the other countries with UN peace keeping forces. Well apparently they never had a foothold in these "eastern countries" so now they have and they can and will control the price of crude oil and while a Africa self destructs they will prosper from the blood of the innocent masses that are clueless and misinformed, shame on the Brits, shame on the Yanks, we are "black and white" expendable casualties of a financial power play bigger than us, and our focus is on Zuma for that is exactly the way the bully's want it to be. Come on fellow Africans wake up , wake up please, we are being played like the fools we are.