Electricity + Control July 2016

COMMENT

T he weather is cold, and load shedding has been limited. But the real issue relates not so much to Eskom’s capacity to service a substantially reduced national load; but rather to the municipal sector to distribute and deliver the power reliably. It is at the distribution level that we face some of our most sig- nificant challenges as a nation.To some extent, the distribution network serves as a fuse in the national grid. A cynic would argue that, were the distribution networks in all cases adequately maintained, then Eskom would not be able to supply the need. Cynics would also point out that, in various munici- pal areas, accounts are vastly in arears – and this implies much-needed cash-flow to maintain the system (including for paying users) is simply not there. The consequence is an increasingly unreliable distribution network. But we are not cynics and the issue is an important one. Recently, there have been a number of instances as- cribing electricity outages to illegal (i.e. unplanned) connections made to the distribution infrastructure in various municipal areas.The net effect is that the network becomes overloaded, and the protection does its job and trips – effectively protecting the system, but leaving legitimate users in darkness. If this is true, then the issue is certainly serious and needs urgent intervention. The consequences of power outages are various – but frankly domestic inconvenience is the least worrisome of them all. Consider for a moment critical health facilities that may well not have adequate back-up supplies; flashing or ‘off’ traffic lights that clog up the roads for hours; or an organisation that cannot operate. These consequences have a significant impact on the economy and on our society.Whereas it is easy to understand the need for a family to have warmth and the security of an electrical supply, the trouble with this being realised outside of any level of plan- ning is catastrophic. There can be an argument that electricity supply (even for heating) is actually essential in modern built-up areas.There are many places with palls of smoke on a winter’s morning making driving (let alone breathing) difficult. Imagine living like that, and the cost of that on the health of our population? So electricity is important – and everyone should have access to it. This draws into sharp focus the capacity for certain demands, realised outside of the formal process, to adversely affect the very econo- my that is striving to improve the lives of everyone in the nation. It is a wicked problem and it is evident

that without growth in the economy pretty much everyone becomes less well off.Whereas I suspect that those at the top of the pile would probably feel little influence – it is those (the most vulnerable) near the bottom of the pile that will be devastated. For instance, the ability of the State to pay out social grants – necessary to assist those most affected by our past and our current situation – is fundamentally dependent on the ability of the country to raise the cash to do so. It is a concern that this contribution has continued to rise – both because of the strain it places on the central coffers, but equally because it must surely speak to either a failure of policy or practice as regards engagingmore andmore people in the economy. To be blunt – illegal activity that may benefit a few but will jeopardise a far larger number – simply cannot be tolerated. My deepest dismay is to see how often society has been conditioned to turn a blind eye to this type of thing. Frankly, to wait for law-enforcers to detect nefarious activity and act on it is almost insignificant if society does not step up and assist. I wonder to what extent this is an issue that can be turned around in the future. What it requires, of course, is direction and example-setting. Let it start with us. It is, after all, at our level that attempts are being made to build the economy.

Editor: Wendy Izgorsek

Design & Layout: Adél JvR Bothma

Advertising Managers: Helen Couvaras and Heidi Jandrell

Circulation: Karen Smith

Publisher : Karen Grant

Deputy Publisher : Wilhelm du Plessis

EditorialTechnical Director: Ian Jandrell

Quarter 1 (January - March 2016) Total print circulation: 4 716

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Electricity+Control is supported by:

Ian Jandrell Pr Eng, BSc (Eng) GDE PhD, FSAIEE SMIEEE

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor, SAAEs, SAEE, CESA, IESSA or the Copper Development Association Africa

July ‘16 Electricity+Control

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