Cape Town — The Western Cape Disaster Management head has laid out the alternative action the province would take if a blackout were to occur.
The Chief Director of the Disaster Management and Fire/Rescue Services Colin Deiner detailed the province’s blackout contingency plan at the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) weekly Energy Digicon.
Deiner said the plan is put together in the event of a worst-case scenario.
“Our job is to protect the province. We look at what is the worst thing that could happen and then we plan around that,” he said.
However, he emphasised that the probability of a total blackout is very low.
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According to Deiner, the possible risks that could lead to blackouts include primary energy constraints, generation plant performance infrastructure damage, and industrial social unrest.
Provincial Disaster Management Centre’s (PDMC) broader preparations include:
- A major electricity disruption contingency plan;
- Ensuring standby procedures are in place;
- Low activation and monitoring of the impact;
- Institutional arrangements in place – electricity disruption task team;
- Local disaster management centres are placed on high alert to assess risks; and
- Radio communications
Eskom Group Chief Operating Officer Jan Oberholzer said that five issues need to be urgently addressed by Eskom management simultaneously if rolling blackouts are to be limited and eventually ended:
- Continuously investing in human capital;
- Ensuring the availability of financial resources;
- Dramatically building up backup generation capacity;
- Ramping up maintenance of existing infrastructure and
- Dealing decisively with criminality at the power utility.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
