Here are some bright ideas on how to save limited energy resources and do your part to help prevent blackouts.

		INTERESTING FACTS
		For every kilowatt hour of energy used almost one kilogramme of coal is burned. If you turn off the photocopier at work when you leave, the energy you save overnight can make about 1 600 copies. Darling, 70 km north of Cape Town, is the place where you can find South Africa's first commercial wind farm. Leaving lights on in an empty office overnight wastes enough energy to make about 100 cups of coffee!
		BRIGHT IDEAS FOR SAVING
		Boil only the water you need instead of boiling a full pot or kettle every time. Install motor speed controllers in the air conditioning system. When you are not using your cellphone charger, unplug it from the wall - it still draws power if kept in the wall. Send in your ideas for saving!

1. What is "Power Alert'' and What Does Each Colour Mean?
2. Where Can I Get Information before or during a Power Failure?
3. I Depend on Life-Saving Dialysis Equipment; What Do I Do if There is Going to be a Power Failure?
4. What Will be Affected by Power Outages?
5. What Will Not Usually be Affected by Power Outages?
6. How Can You Prepare for When the Power is Off?
7. Safety Matters to Consider When the Power is Off
8. How Can I Save Power?
9. When is Peak Time?

1. POWER ALERT: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES EACH COLOUR MEAN?

"Power Alert" is a campaign launched by Eskom to save electricity. It takes the form of a message popping up on your TV screen every weekday evening. The 15-second television slot lets you follow the rise and drop in power consumption every 15 minutes from 18:00 to 21:00 on weekdays.

Control centres analyse usage trends and feed information to the TV stations. This up-to-the-minute information allows you to actively contribute to saving electricity with all of the right infomation at hand. Eskom will also suggest what residents can do when demand starts to outstrip supply.

Alerts have different colours and this is what they mean:

• Green:
  There is no strain on the electrical supply of the Western Cape.
  No action is required by residential consumers.


• Orange:
  There is strain on the electrical supply. Residential consumers are asked to switch off some non-essential loads such as tumble dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, pool pumps, fridges, freezers and any unnecessary lights for the evening peak period or until there is a change back to green status. The shedding of these loads is not expected to cause any discomfort to residential consumers.


• Red:
  There is increasing strain on the electrical supply and load shedding is imminent. Residential consumers are prompted to switch off additional loads such as stoves, microwaves, kettles, space heating, air conditioning and any unnecessary lights. This is also requested for the evening peak period or until there is a green or orange status.


• Brown:
  There is big strain on the electrical supply and load shedding is in progress. Residential consumers are prompted to switch off all loads that are not absolutely essential except the minimum lighting required for the room they are in and their television set (which is used to communicate the status). During this status, residential consumers will also be asked to switch off geysers. This is always requested for every evening peak period or until notified of a change in status. See peak times below.

2. WHERE CAN I GET INFORMATION BEFORE OR DURING A POWER FAILURE?

Reporting a fault (power outages, shorting overhead lines, faulty dispensers, streetlight problems and low voltage faults) can be done at one of these numbers:

• Fault reports (City of Cape Town):
  Tel: 0860 125 001/2/3/4/5/6

Information about the scheduled power cuts is available from the following contacts:

• Eskom Call Centre
  Tel: 0860 037 566
  Eskom website: http://www.eskom.co.za
• City of Cape Town Centre
  Tel: 086 012 5001/2/3/4/5/6/7/8
  City of Cape Town website: http://www.capetown.gov.za

• Load shedding information (City of Cape Town areas)
  Tel: 0860 125 008


• Load shedding information (Eskom areas)
  Tel: 086 003 7566


• All local newspapers: Burger, Cape Argus and Cape Times

Other useful contacts:

• Regional Electricity Distributer (RED One)
  Tel: 021 446 2000


• Eskom Demand Side Management campaign information
  Tel: 011 800 2776


• Special Customer Support Services
  For complaints, compliments, suggestions, electricity education awareness, energy efficiency information
  Tel: 011 800 2776

3. SPECIAL NEEDS

1. If you have special needs such as medical support equipment (ventilators, dialysis machines etc), please notify your medical practitioner immediately so that special arrangements can be made. This special assistance is only available by authorisation of a registered General Practitioner/Doctor or Medical Specialist.
2. If you require advice regarding the provisions that have been made for special needs, kindly call the City of Cape Town Disaster Management Centre on 107 or, if you are in a Eskom supply area, contact the call centre on 086 003 7566.
   Please only phone this number if you have a special need since we want this line to be open at all times. It is operational 24 hours a day.

4. WHAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY POWER OUTAGES?

The following will not be available when the electricity supply to your home is switched off:

• Geyser and hot water supplies.
• Cookers, electric kettles, microwave ovens and refrigerators.
• Lights.
• TV and hi-fi equipment.
• Electrically motorised security gates and garage doors.
• Pool pumps.
• Personal computers.
• Electric air conditioning.
• Heating appliances and systems (such as under-floor heating).
• Electric alarm clocks.
• Household electric pumps for irrigation or plumbing systems.
• Electrically operated ignition systems on certain gas appliances.
• Automatic electronic control systems and time clocks.

5. WHAT WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY POWER OUTAGES?

The following will not be affected when the electricity supply to your home is switched off:

• Security systems that have battery back-up (some may go off due to the interruption).
• Telephones that are not reliant on mains electricity (answering and fax machines may however be affected).
• Cell phones.

6. HOW YOU CAN PREPARE FOR POWER-OFF TIMES

These are useful tips to minimise inconvenience when the power is off:

1. Think about communication: Ensure that your cell phone is always fully charged when power is available.
2. Think about transport: Ensure that your vehicle (car, bakkie, motorcycle etc) always has fuel in the tank (petrol stations cannot pump fuel during a power outage).
3. Think about cash: Ensure that you have adequate cash as ATMs cannot operate without electricity.
4. Think about access, security and safety:
   • Release automatic electric garage door mechanisms to allow you to gain access to your property during a power outage.
   • Release electric security gates and switch to manual operation to avoid either being locked out or locked into your home.
   • Keep temporary lighting readily available eg electric torches, candles etc. Be sure to locate these items in places where they will be easy to find in the dark.
   • Keep a torch (with fresh batteries) by your bedside at all times.
   • Obtain a small LP gas lamp, as they provide good quality lighting for a large area.
5. Think about keeping things cool and heating them up:
• Boil water and keep in thermos flasks for hot drinks for when the power is scheduled to be switched off.
• Use a thermal cover on tea pots and other pots and pans to keep hot drinks, soup and other hot meals warm.
• Prepare meals beforehand in readiness for periods when there will be power cuts.
• Obtain a small stand-by bottled LP gas heating ring for essential cooking and to boil water for hot beverages.
• Keep adequate stocks of essential foodstuffs.
• Keep refrigerator doors closed, as a power outage of four hours should not cause food spoilage, and a freezer should keep frozen food safe for at least a day. It is a good idea to have available alternative snacks that do not need refrigeration.
• Most medication requiring refrigeration can be kept in a closed fridge for several hours without spoiling. To be sure about this, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
• Fill plastic containers with water (still leaving some space inside each container for expansion during freezing) in a chest freezer or the freezer compartment of your fridge. This (frozen) water will help keep food cold during a power outage.

7. SAFETY

• If the power goes off, it is safer to simply turn off (or even better, disconnect) any electrical appliances that you were using.
• Keep one light switched "on" to alert you when the power returns. If your on/off switches aren't clearly marked, then mark them eg with a piece of masking tape.
• When the power comes back on, it may do so with a momentary surge, which can damage electronically controlled appliances such as computers, televisions sets, VCRs and DVDs so ensure those are switched off and disconnected until the power resumes.
• Remember to reset time control clocks on cooking ovens, pool pumps, geysers and other automatically controlled appliances, unless these are battery operated. Also remember that householders are responsible for all electricity usage and appliances in their homes.

8. HOW TO SAVE POWER

The following are some examples of what can be done in your home to make it more energy efficient:

1. Hot Water Geyser

• Have you considered installing a solar water geyser? Not only will this save you money, Eskom will also give you a rebate once you have installed one.
• Insulate the geyser by wrapping it in a geyser blanket and save up to R20 per month.
• Switch your geyser off for at least two hours a day anytime between 06:30 and 21:00 or, even better, install a timer on the geyser to avoid heating up water when you don't need it. This can save up to 20% on your electricity bill.
• Install a solar water heater. This pays back in electricity saving over approximately eight years and uses a renewable source of energy.
• Shower instead of bathing; this saves about R160 per year. If you fit a low-flow shower head, you can save an additional R110 per year.

2. Lighting

• Use CFLs or LEDs, which are more energy efficient, rather than normal incandescent lights for any lights which stay on longer than an hour or two per day; this is especially good for outside fittings which stay on all night.
• Switch lights off when you leave the room.

3. Heating Your Home

• By insulating your ceiling, you can save half of your electricity used for heating.
• Include passive solar features if you are designing a new house:

- Have enough north-facing window areas.
- Ensure that your roof overhangs at the correct length to keep the summer sun out but let winter sun in.
- Install ceilings; it is difficult to warm up a double volume house.
- Insulate your walls and floors well, or use thermally efficient building materials.

• When your heater is on, keep windows closed. If possible, use an oil or gas heater.
• You can save up to R26 per year by using electric blankets instead of heaters in the bedroom.

4. General

• Cellphone chargers: When not using your cellphone charger, unplug from the wall - it still draws in power if kept in the wall.
• Switch off one piece of electrical equipment before switching to another.
• Switch off all appliances at the wall when not in use, especially during peak hours (toasters, tumble dryers, dishwashers).
• Use your pool pump for two hours less every day. Cover your pool in winter; this keeps your pool cleaner, putting less strain on the pump. If you service the pump and clean the filter regularly, you can save up to R420 per year.
• Avoid leaving your fridge door open and letting cool air escape. Wait for hot food to cool down before putting into the fridge and replace worn seals on the door. If you are going on holiday, switch your fridge off, or pop onto "vacation" mode.
• Use your kettle to boil water, rather than the stove. Never fill the kettle if you are only going to make one cup of tea. When you do put water in the kettle only use cold water, as each time you use the hot tap, energy is used.

1. Lighting

• Use CFLs or LEDs, which are more energy efficient, rather than normal incandescent lights for any lights which stay on longer than an hour or two per day, especially good for outside fittings which stay on all night. Find out more at www.eskom.co.za/dsm to contact an accredited ESco to assist you with this.
• Switch lights off when you leave the office.

2. General

• Computer monitors: Make sure your monitors are switched off; this saves energy and can prevent a damaging power surge on your valuable equipment
• Cellphone chargers: When not using your cellphone charger unplug from the wall - it still draws power if kept in the wall.
• Shut down data projectors and computers completely when not in use (this may also prevent power surges).
• Install motor speed controllers in the air conditioning system.
• Switch off office equipment when not in use.

1. Lighting

• Use CFLs or LEDs, which are more energy efficient. Find out more at www.eskom.co.za/dsm to contact an accredited Esco to assist you with this.
• Switch lights off when you leave the office.

2. General

• Reduce the power demand of electric motors.
• Time your pumping machinery to consume more electricity in cheaper off-peak times.
• Make efficient use of Eskom tariffs that reward load-shifting.
• Efficiently control all pumping operations which include the installation of sophisticated equipment and variable-speed pump motors.
• Computer monitors: Make sure your monitors are switched off; this saves energy and can prevent a damaging power surge on your valuable equipment.
• Cellphone chargers: When not using your cellphone charger unplug from the wall; it still draws in power if kept in the wall.
• Shut down data projectors and computers completely when not in use (this may also prevent power surges).
• Install motor speed controllers in the air conditioning system.
• Switch off office equipment when not in use.

9. WHEN IS PEAK TIME?

• Between 07:00 and 10:00 in the morning.
• Between 18:00 and 20:00 in the evening.