Electricity and Control August 2024

COMMENT

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT

Lighting the way ahead R e-reading my ‘futuristic comment’ of last month I find myself mildly impressed with my ability to predict the future quite well. Would that we could always do the same about our industry, our own companies or even the subcontinent in general. But hope can become a strategy at times – and we find ourselves in a country and continent brimming with opportunity. Apart from some noise in certain areas, I sense a rolling up of sleeves and a commitment to getting things not only better, but right. Often, we hear how the tone at the top defines how things can really begin to thrive. Although I have always thought of this in a positive sense, I do appreciate that the tone at the top may often be off key. However, I am getting a sense about this as the weeks roll by – I sense a positive tone at the top. I would be most interested to hear how you are sensing future developments. Certainly, there will be some arm wrestling as conflicting views are aired and consideration is given to the various support bases. But experience suggests that necessity is quite likely to make this work well – and that delivery, at the very least, will improve. Then again, one even more frequently hears that ‘the fish rots from the head’. There is no way at all one can consider this in a positive light. We do need to be mindful of this and we need to keep a keen eye out for such a scenario. My sense, though, is that we are pretty good at spotting it based on the years of practice we have had. So let us wait and see if it is a positive tone at the top or the fish rotting from the head that prevails.

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Turning to our industry, and along the lines of the above, it is appropriate to recognise that Eskom has been improving its performance over the past few months. Does this mean we are out of the woods? No. But clearly, some fundamental changes have been made in how the plant at South Africa’s power stations is managed, maintained and run. Kudos to Eskom. The problem, of course, relates to our distribution networks. This is likely to pose very significant challenges to the reliability of medium voltage supply for the next few years. The positive side of this is that if you have installed alternative energy sources, this is by no means a wasted investment. The negative side is that it will take some time to resolve all the issues. We hear horrifying stories of the extent of debt owed to municipalities, and by municipalities to Eskom (R78 billion is the most recently reported sum) from all around the nation. We hear frightening stories too of illegal connections – and the consequences on the capacity of the installed system to deliver energy safely and reliably to paying customers. Let us hope that one of the big changes that will be made as we move forward is in the capacity of the powers that be to stamp out illegal connections (for safety as well as practical reasons) and let us hope that they have the courage to fully understand the gravity of being in authority – and not being cowed by threats (real though they are). Here’s to watching the sun rise on a new future. And if the sun is obscured by clouds, to be sure we will have the energy to continue lighting the way ahead.

industrial environments. (Read more on page 3.)

Editor: Leigh Darroll Design & Layout: Darryl James Advertising Manager: Paul Engelbrecht Circulation: Karen Smith Editorial Technical Director: Ian Jandrell Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy Publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis

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Ian Jandrell PrEng IntPE(SA), BSc(Eng) GDE PhD, FSAAE FSAIEE SMIEEE

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

AUGUST 2024 Electricity + Control

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