Friday, 23 June 2023: Eskom is in the process of implementing the Load Limiting Project nationally, with the pilot starting on Friday, 23 June 2023 in Fourways. The pilot will focus on select customers with smart meters. Load limiting through smart meters is part of the demand side management (DSM) initiatives to manage and optimise electricity consumption to better balance the supply and demand of electricity on the grid, during Stages 1 to 4 of loadshedding.
Through load limiting measures during Stages 1 to 4 of loadshedding, customers’ electricity capacity will be reduced from the 60/80 Amps to 10 Amps. This will allow customers to continue to use essential appliances with a reduced capacity of up to 10 Amps. An hour before the start of loadshedding, the system will prompt customers to reduce their consumption to 10 Amps by sending a message to their customer interface unit (CIU) and cellphone.
The system will provide the customer with four opportunities to reduce their consumption and thereafter, if the load has not been reduced, the meter will automatically switch off the electricity supply for the duration of the loadshedding period. The power utility appeals to customers who have been selected as part of the pilot to partner with it in ensuring that the impact of loadshedding is reduced. There are numerous benefits to this approach for both the customers and Eskom.
The project aims to allow customers to have access to minimal usage of electricity during lower stages of loadshedding. The success of this phase of the project depends on the partnership between Eskom and the customers, as the outcomes will influence how the national rollout will unfold
