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INDEX
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SAVING ENERGY
CHANGING OUR BEHAVIOUR TO SAVE ELECTRICITY
For the past few months, people all over
the country have been talking about one thing that affects all
of us - load shedding.
Load shedding is a way of saving electricity. It means electricity
is switched off in certain areas for periods of about two hours
at a time. This helps to ensure that the electricity that is
available is enough for everyone.
Work together
But load shedding is not the only way of
saving energy. We must all work with government to save electricity.
If we use more electricity than what is available, it could
lead to more power cuts for longer periods across the country.
If all of us put in an effort and use the electricity saving
tips that are available, we can save more than 10 per cent of
the country's total electricity usage.
Response plan
Government, through the Department of Minerals
and Energy, has started a National Response Plan to reduce the
use of electricity. If it is successful, it may put an end to
load shedding.
The plan is already in place and involves saving electricity
in government and state-owned buildings. These buildings include
hospitals, municipal offices, clinics and Eskom buildings. It
also includes 2010 projects and traffic lights.
Through the response plan, government is educating people to
save electricity and encouraging them to change their behaviour.
The response plan is expected to help solve the electricity
problem in the next five to eight years.
Energy
regulations
Government has also come up with energy regulations.
In line with the regulations, lights may not be on in empty
buildings, especially after working hours, street lights and
lights on highways may not be switched on during the day and
government buildings or projects may use only energy-saving
light bulbs.
Electric geysers in new houses with a value above R750 000 and
in office blocks, hostels, resorts and shopping complexes must
have solar water-heating abilities.
- Ndivhuwo Khangale
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Tips to save energy
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Switch off all
the lights except security lights in the home when not
in use.
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Switch off lights,
except security lights, in offices from 10pm to 6am. This
is binding for government buildings.
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Use energy sources
like gas, coal and wood for heating and cooking rather
than electricity.
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Boil only as much
water as you need, rather than filling up the kettle.
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Switch off all
electrical appliances like kettles, at the wall (not by
remote control).
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While working
in your office, use daylight if possible instead of electric
light.
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Open the windows
rather than using the air conditioner.
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Switch off the
geysers in your home between 11am and 6pm.
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Use a microwave
oven rather than a stove; it uses less
energy.
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Turn off your computer,
TV, or radio when you're not using it.
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HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY DO YOUR APPLIANCES
USE
As the country continues with efforts to
save energy, it is important to know how much electricity your
appliances use at home.
An electricity usage leaflet from Eskom gives details about
electrical appliances at home and how much electricity they
use. Stoves, geysers, kettles, washing machines, heaters, fans,
dishwashing machines and grinding machines, use the most electricity.
They are followed by microwave ovens, frying pans and irons.
Home appliances that use less electricity are hi-fis, televisions,
radios, electric blankets and light bulbs.
When you buy your appliances you will see the number of watts
(units of electrical power) that it uses. This number is usually
stamped under or at the back of your appliance. An iron, for
example, uses 1 500 watts. This is equal to 1, 5 kilowatts (a
kilowatt is 1 000 watts of electricity).
To change watts to kilowatts, move the comma three spaces to
the left, for example: 1 500 watts = 1, 5 kilowatts. To find
out what it costs, you then multiply the number of kilowatts
by the price of one unit of electricity, for example 40 cents
(1, 5 x 40 cents = 60 cents). This is the cost of using an iron
for an hour.
- Ndivhuwo Khangale
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For more information
on electricity usage, call Eskom's call centre 0860 037 566
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MAKING MORE ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE
South Africa is finding itself in a position
where the need for electricity is more than the available supply.
By working together to save electricity, we are helping government
to make sure that there will be enough to go around.
Long-term plans
Energy-saving plans are already cutting the
demand for electricity. But saving energy now is a short-term
solution to the problem. For this reason, government has started
major long-term plans to solve the country's electricity problems
into the future.
Over the next five years alone, government, through the national
electricity supplier, Eskom, plans to spend about R300 billion.
The long-term plans consist of different types of power stations
using modern technology to make more energy.
Modern technology
This includes a pressure water reactor, which
will be ready by 2015. It is a way of creating energy by using
boiling water that is put under pressure.
In Cape Town, government is also building a wind-energy power
station. This is a way of making electricity from wind energy
using windmills. It will create about 100 megawatts of power
for the area.
Another project is the building of an energy source known as
a pebble bed modular reactor. It is expected to start making
energy before 2013. About half of the 40 000 megawatts of power
needed by the country over the next 20 years will come from
nuclear power.
Counting
on all of us
South Africa is not the only country in the
world that is facing energy shortages. Many other developing
countries are finding that they cannot keep up with the electricity
demand. Brazil has also faced similar problems.
The Brazilian government managed to solve its electricity problems
with the help of its people. Households that wasted electricity
had to pay fines, while those which saved were awarded.
Our government will not follow Brazil's example in this regard,
but is counting on all of us to do everything we can to save
electricity.
- Muzi Mkhwanazi
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Government is counting on all
of us to do everything we can to save power.
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Make sure all lights
are switched off during the day.
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BE PREPARED FOR POWER CUTS
Power cuts will be part of our lives for
some time to come. Make it easier for yourself and your family
by preparing yourself beforehand. It is safer to just turn off
(or even better, disconnect) any electrical appliances that
you were using. When the power comes back on, it may do so with
a quick rush of power. This can damage things that work with
electricity, especially computers and televisions. Keep one
light switched on to remind you when the power returns. Clearly
mark 'on' and 'off' switches with a piece of tape.
Tips
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Keep candles, matches, torches, oil
lamps, or other light sources in a place that is easy
to find even in the dark.
Remember to keep matches away from
children.
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Keep a torch with fresh batteries next
to your bed.
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Make sure your cell phone is fully charged
while there is power.
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Keep stocks of food that don't need
to be kept in the fridge or cooked, like tinned food,
biscuits and long-life milk.
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Prepare meals beforehand to be ready
when there is a power cut.
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Boil water and keep it in a thermos
flask for hot drinks.
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Get a small gas cooker or paraffin stove
for critical cooking needs.
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Seal fridge and freezer doors properly
- when there is a power cut of four hours it will stay
cold for many hours.
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Most medicines that have to be kept
cold can be kept in a closed fridge for about four hours
without spoiling if fridge doors are sealed and closed
properly.
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Fill plastic containers with water (still
leaving some space inside each container to enlarge during
freezing) in a deep-freeze or the freezer compartment
of your fridge. This frozen water will help keep food
cold during a power cut.
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Make sure your car has enough petrol
in the tank. During power cuts, petrol stations cannot
pump petrol.
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Make sure you have enough cash. Auto
tellers do not work without electricity.
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- Louise van Niekerk
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Meaning of
words
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Short-term:
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a short
period of time, generally one to two years
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Long-term:
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a long period
of time, generally more than two years, mostly five
to ten years or more
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Watt:
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A unit of
electrical power. Also the rate at which electricity
is produced or used
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Kilowatt:
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A unit of
electrical power equal to 1 000 watts or 1.341 horsepower.
Also written as kW
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Megawatt:
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One million
watts or 1,000 kilowatts
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Nuclear:
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Electricity
generated by different types of nuclear reactors
like heavy water, light water, and boiling water.
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Be prepared for power cuts. Keep
candles, matches and torches in a place that is easy to find
in the dark
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Eat by candlelight, it saves
energy and creates a relaxed mood
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