Load-shedding has been a part of our lives for a little more than 16 years and it shows no signs of coming to an end soon.
The ongoing energy crisis has forever altered the way South Africans live and has left many people scrambling to find solutions to keep them going, especially with the cold winter approaching.
Unfortunately, some of the long-term options are costly and the average South African simply cannot afford generators or solar power energy sources.
Even though we have been experiencing this situation for a long time, many still don’t fully understand what load-shedding is.
Several factors can lead to load-shedding, including extreme weather, sharply increased electric demand, unplanned generation plant outages, transmission constraints, unexpected damage to equipment, unavailability of purchased power or a combination of these situations.
Solar power has long been touted as a direct solution for load-shedding due to it being a renewable source, however the costs to keep it going in a household can set a family back anywhere between R1,800 and R70,000, which is unattainable for most households.
Finding inexpensive ways to cook, keep the lights on and keep warm are not impossible. Here are a few options:
- The first thing to do is find ways to use less electricity as this is one way to reduce load-shedding.
- This means turning off and unplugging devices when not using them.
- Another important factor is knowing your load-shedding schedule.
- Constantly monitoring the different stages and knowing when load-shedding will hit will assist in keeping your devices charged and preparing food and other things that require electricity.
- Invest in a gas stove to avoid using an electrical stove.
- This way you can still cook food or boil water even when the lights are out.
- Try to get as many rechargeable power supplies and lights as you can afford.
- Keeping these devices on charge when you have electricity can help you avoid darkness.
- A gas lamp also provides good quality lighting for a large area.
- Candles are also a solution, however these need to be used with extreme caution to avoid accidents.
- Boil water and utilise a flask.
- Another water option is to freeze water in empty plastic drinking bottles so that when the power goes out you can leave it in the freezer to prevent its contents from thawing.
- You can also put some in the fridge to keep food colder for longer.