Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
1 August 2024 | 13:01 SAST
1-minute read

Image: IT Business

The power utility placed seven generating units on cold reserve over the weekend to keep the grid stable after power supply far exceeded demand last week.

Cold reserve refers to the generating capacity that is available for service but not normally ready for immediate loading.

Energy expert Clyde Mallinson says that a healthy reserve margin in case of emergency is a good thing.

“It’s absolutely normal to have an excess of power generating units in a healthy electrical system,” he said.

Eskom’s power-saving campaigns could have resulted in this excess, with people having become accustomed to using less power.

However, load reduction is still a possibility, because of challenges with the distribution system.

“Load reduction is a problem of not having sufficient infrastructure in your distribution system to get the product to all the customers who want it at a particular time,” Mallinson said.

This could be because the distribution system was not designed to accommodate so many consumers, or due to a lack of maintenance of the distribution system.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.