Load shedding set to resume today?

[Dave A]

It doesn't seem to be as wide spread as previously, but it seems load shedding is still happening.

I think if I had to use a single word to describe South African culture, it would be extreme. We seem to be either totally indifferent or absolutely outraged - and often times at exactly the opposite moment of the appropriate time to feel either way.

[Snoopy_inc]

at least we live exciting lives

[Dave A]

"May you have an exciting life" is actually a Chinese curse.

[irneb]

OK I think I understand what Eskom meant by "regular" now: "Load Shedding may be done at any time within the specified times and continue for varying lengths thereafter."

This translates to: scheduled time for Sandton 06:00 to 10:00 equals cut at 9h03 to 11:05, then 12:13 to 12:15, then 12:45 to 12:46. That's what happened last Friday. I'm not sure how much power "saving" this caused. Using common sense it probably used much more power because everything had 3 start-ups for those minuscule off-times.

Then this morning we get a cut at 10:47 to 10:52. Nothing before, so the above theory is moot as well.

[Dave A]

Hmm. That might not be Eskom load-shedding. That sounds like something's gone faulty on the distribution network.

Did anyone else see that Carte Blanche segment on the copper theft problem?

[Snoopy_inc]

We had a very wierd outage... no news on it happening just at 9:30 at night till about 11ish
happened on monday night.

[irneb]

Hmm. That might not be Eskom load-shedding. That sounds like something's gone faulty on the distribution network.

Did anyone else see that Carte Blanche segment on the copper theft problem?

Nope, checked this ... it was standard loadshedding (apparently nothing to do with the Gautrain blasting or anything like that).

BTW, Eskom's now "updated" their schedule - we're supposed to be loadshed from 06:00 to 10:00 Mondays, Wed & Fri. So Monday comes around and "proptly" at 07:15 the power goes off, back on at 11:45. Then yesterday, off at 17:10 ... just buggered off, so I don't know when it came back on.

So I'm expecting another at say 07:00 about, but Eskom's still irregular as hell. Maybe they should rather start employing proctologists.

And then to make my head go really "deurmekaar" my home's yet to be loadshed, although it's stated in the Eskom schedule for 10am to 2pm M/W/F.

[Dave A]

Some of those schedules really do seem to be a "best guess."

But to give credit where credit is due, Durban seems to have stuck to their schedule very well so far.

[Snoopy_inc]

What really gets my goat up is that im getting load shedded 2x a day and others are not getting load shedded at all.

[irneb]

Finally, Eskom's seen the doctor & they're much more regular now. For the pas 3 weeks Sandton's been loadshed according to schedule (give or take a couple of minutes). Although the schedule states 06:00 to 10:00 Mon, Wed & Fri - there's generally only 2 per week ... I'm not complaining. At least we can now start planning working hours around this.

Have been looking at a generator for some time, but to run the entire complex we need one which burns 250 litres an hour. If we install one just to run the PC's & Servers in our office it'll burn 20 litres an hour. That's just STU-PID ain't it? Local regulations state you're only allowed 500 litres stored on premises, unless it's underground - then it's 2000 litres. Which means we need to have the truck come by every 2nd loadshed!

The landlord was looking at putting this miniature power station (as discussed above) directly on the on-site sub-station. Then Eskom said ... uhmm you need to rent our equipment during the loadshedings ... sounds a lot like a Telkom syndrome!

So for the time-being (until we can find a better / less polluting alternative) we're going to come in at different times during the week.

[IanF]

irneb
I agree with you about being regular makes it easier. I am at home know as our power is only due back on at 10am. This what I have done at my small company, Load shedding Blog. What is everyone else doing.

[IanF]

irneb
I agree with you about being regular makes it easier. I am at home know as our power is only due back on at 10am.

OK Guess what this morning I phoned my electricity monitor, the Fax and it gets answered, so we weren't loadshed. But listening to traffic the M1 was backed up due to an accident, this then blocks all the side roads as well. So I get in at 9:30 and phone city power, and ask. They say I am lucky and I should only be loadshed again on Friday.
So the question is do we treat the schedules as maybe and go in and wait or do we treat them seriously and plan around them.
As Confucius says this is like the dog who lies upside down, a ballsup!