How To Survive Load Shedding

If you are currently living in South Africa you’ll know that the country is facing the worst electricity crysis it’s ever seen in over 10 years. Most people might not know the real reasons why the country is experiencing rolling power outages called Load Shedding or why it happens so frequently. In this article we will be unpacking some interesting facts about the state of electrical energy in Mzansi and offering solutions to anyone who wishes to be unaffected by the effects of the unreliability of energy supply.

Effects Of Load Shedding on SA's Economy

  • 4 Hours (roughly)
  • 1000 Homes/Businesses
  • R700-million per stage per day (estimated)
The concept of Load Shedding has really intensified over the last 2 to 3 years, but it is reported that the unstable power utility dates back to 2008. The state owned utility Eskom has issued rotational power outages and blackouts where households and businesses are left in the dark for hours in some parts of the country even days without electricity. According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in the year 2019 there was a total of 530 hours of load shedding and that these blackouts will continue over the next 2 to 3 years depending on how soon the government can react.

Some businesses are fairly new and still emerging as the country already has high unemployment rates and those who have small business enterprises are crippled by the unpredictable blackouts and their durations, which results in increased running cost and reduced profitability. Long lasting power outages are known to cause financial strain on the country’s economic well being, approximately R1 billion is lost from South Africa with every scheduled power cut per stage, per day. A research was conducted by CSIR to calculate the total economic impact of load shedding in South Africa over the past 10 years is upwards of R338 billon.

The effects of load shedding have been extremely detrimental but perhaps this crysis has also presented an opportunity for South Africans to seriously consider alternative energy sources instead of solely relying on Eskom’s grid. We are passionate about creating solutions that will help households and businesses stay connected during these power outages,  one way to do this is to have the most important components of your business / household stay on during load shedding by using Unsupported Power Supply (UPS), in this article we’ll be looking at some of the most affordable options for South Africans.

 

Some of the most expensive options which provide unsupported energy for long periods of time vary in price depending on the types of energy they generate, but for those looking for entry level products you can easily get a UPS for as little as R 2 000.  A UPS is not necessarily designed to provide continuous power but merely a window period for computer users to finalize the work at hand and shut down. Here is a link that will give you a number of different UPS and mini power stations that can keep your devices connected during load shedding power outages (insert link).

The transition from Semi – Grid to Mid – Grid is based on how much devices or appliances can remain connected to electricity supply and for longer periods of time. For this transition we suggest slightly more sophisticated solutions that involve more attention to detail while taking into account the financial situation of most South Africans. Solar energy is one of the best forms of alternative energy because it also comes with a wide range of products that can be used by households or businesses, we’ve found that by using at least 4 rechargeable light bulbs, 2 Magneto rechargeable camping lights, a solar geyser, gas heater, gas stove and solar panels on the roof a household or business will not be as severely impacted by load shedding as households without these products.

 

Here is a link of all the products you’ll need to get your house or business Semi Off Grid (insert link)

For users who want to be completely unaffected by the constant rolling power outages at the most affordable rates we have the perfect solution for you. According to a recent article published by Business Tech, the Nedbank group has partnered with Hohm Energy to finance and install solar energy solutions in South Africa. This service will be made available to all homeowners and not limited to Nedbank mortgage clients.

 

This partnership is an effort to make solar installations easily accessible to home loan clients by allowing them to fund the equipment via a re-advance or further loan on their mortgage bond. The intensive load shedding has made life and work very unpredictable for most South Africans and it is likely to continue for at least the next five years before it gets better. If there has ever been a time to consider going completely off Eskom’s grid it is now.

Our ultimate survival kit for load shedding includes products from our favorite gas store Extreme Gas located in South Johannesburg Klipriver. They have a wide variety of equipment that can certainly keep you away from traditional electricity supply, gas is a much affordable alternative because it’s cheaper and it lasts longer.  

 

Here is a link of products that will enable you to be completely off the grid for your home and business at the most affordable rates (insert link).  

FAQ

We want to hear from you about any and everything to get you off the grid.

There is no doubt that Mr D and Uber Eats remain the most convenient services for getting fast foods, however it might not necessarily be the healthiest option for people who prefer home cooked meals. Here is a list of quick and easy ways to create wholesome home cooked meals without using electricity.  

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