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In an effort to deal with continuous loadshedding, various individuals and businesses have opted for alternative power sources to get them through the course of the day. However, in order to protect the power grid, Newcastillians can expect a new policy to be published by the Newcastle Municipality in the coming days.
The policy will focus on residents who are turning to Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) for business or residential usage, whether it be petrol/diesel generators or solar.
No longer will Newcastillians simply be able to install electricity generators at their leisure. Instead, the Newcastle Municipality’s Faizel Cassim explained that residents will now have to get an inspection certificate, and must be registered with the Municipal Electrical Department.
Whereby, he further explained that the registration is free, and no charges will be applied. The COC Certificate, however, must be produced upon registration.
“This is meant to regulate the installations. If this is not regulated, wrong and poor-quality generation can cause damages to the Municipality’s grid and transformers, which leads to power outages and millions of Rands in repairs. The Municipality will then be blamed for poor maintenance and services,” stated Cassim.
The policy will also assist the Municipality in monitoring exactly how many SSEGs have been installed across Newcastle, so as to maintain a high standard of workmanship.
Moreover, Cassim said that the Newcastle Municipality had noted a problem in town. “One of the main issues the Municipality faces is that people are removing their ripple switches. Residents should know, anyone caught doing this can be fined R9 100. So, we are urging those who have removed their ripple switches, to please put them back accordingly,” he elaborated.
Ripple switches assist local municipalities during loadshedding, as to ensure Stage 1 runs smoothly and thereby, minimising the chances of Eskom escalating power outages to Stage 2.
Moreover, Cassim explained that the Newcastle Municipality initially became aware of people removing their ripple switches, after Eskom notified them that the power usage at Stage 1 was almost exactly the same as without it. A survey was then done, and the discovery was made that numerous Newcastle residents were attempting to dodge Stage 1
Addressing the street lights being on during the day, Cassim explained this was not due to neglect from the Newcastle Municipality. “I often receive complaints about the streetlights being on. We are on a time system and when there is loadshedding, it affects this time system. A team then has to go out and manually reset these timers accordingly.”
Lastly, discussing the time delays during loadshedding, Cassim said, “The Newcastle Municipality has teams that need to go out and manually implement loadshedding. Sometimes, if traffic is heavy, there will be delays as the team has to try and get from one part of town to another. We are now asking residents to be patient, as we do not have an automated system,” concluded Cassim.
What are your thoughts on the above-mentioned? Share your views in the comment section below.
My references no is7218708my sewers jammed fo 1montn and is a health Hazzard
Can Newcastle Municipality please explain why residents must pay the full amount for eletrical availability with all the loadshedding. Why is it not a reduce tarrif or cancel in total.
Many of the smart meter in residential area has been bypass by the Municipality but yet the electrical bill still show n reading which is in correct.
Distribution boxes is in a poor state.
Thank you.
Nonsense. Why would we need a COC or be Registered with the municipality when small household generators are not directly connected to the municipal grid. This is how it works. The mains on ur DB is switched off. Ur generator power is connected to ur house only via a plug point. It does not interfere with the municipal grid.
Once electricity is restored , generator is switched off, and disconnected from the plug point. Mains is switched on , municipal power is in ur house. It is sad when ppl have no knowledge or experience with electricity want to make rules and regulations. Who did Cllr Cassim consult with when trying to make such a decision. He should concentrate on the sewer problems, potholes, water leaks, infrastructure replacement, basically Service Delivery issues.
Neil you are 100% correct, what does he think, we are idiots, there are more pressing issues of the sewer problem, the potholes and the extremely high electricity bills. He should concentrate on that.
I agree Neil
Why does the municipality not supply residents with an emailed accurate statement each month, guess work is unacceptable especially from a municipality of this magnitude
I agree we just can’t keep up with the sky high tarrifs paid for water and electricity usage
Can the municipality please address the issue of prepaid meters and why the long wait?, what is causing the delay?
My generator at my business is connected to a completely separate set of lighting and has nothing to do with the electrical grid or the db
Panel, why do i have to have a COC
certificate and all that registration.
They just want us to register so they can make those with solar pay more on their rates as the municipality is so broke and corrupt!
Just buy out excess solar power and stop being so corrupt!!!
Good day
Can the Municipality please attend to the street light that are damaged in Ncandu Park, in Tongaat Street, insuzi street and and mbizane. It’s been more the 3 months the council of ward 5 has been notified. The project that is currently running for installing pipes has done too much damage to the street light and the wifi infrastructure and can the please attend to it. We pay rates every month and there service is so poor.
Good day.
Why are we paying such ridiculously high bills. NEVER CAN 2 PEOPLE USE ELECTRICITY R7000 A MONTH, HARDLY AT HOME.
DOES IT TAKE AN HOUR OR MORE FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER TO PUT ELECTRICITY BACK ON???
Can the certificate be e-mailed? Address please. Please focus on the REAL issues you have. The residents are suffering enough.
I agree with Neil this is nonsense generator s ,solar ect have nothing to do with them it is not on there grid they should rather concentrate on roads and sewers and everthing else that a mess there own power grid ect.
BS. Small scale generators or solar do not connect directly to municipal grid.
Cassim is thinking of a powerwall.
Maybe Cassim can spend his time better fixing Newcastle’s roads and sewage system, and if he have spare time try and find out how much Eskom will reward customers supplying surplus energy to the grid
The municipality will do everything to took monnry from us home generators hot kitiing yo do with the municipality so please get your story right.we are pensionars and suffer wit within high bills here are verysick people but you cut our electricity we put sun charge lights all over in an God give that for free us.
I also agree with you Neil 100%
Do not use the timer as an excuse for the street lights being switched on during the day because the timers could be substituted with a photo cell. Yes I do agree that there should be some control because everyone with a screw driver has now become a professional in installing alternative source of energy. Residents are using unqualified persons to do electrical work because they want a job cheap and yes they really get a cheap job. You get what you pay for .This affects one’s insurance in case of a fire or an accident that could possibly kill someone. How many of you ask for credentials before hiring someone to do your electrical work. Would you go to a doctor that is unqualified.
This new regulation is in line with what the municipality and eskom said previously. Those people who use sseg’s will in the very near future have to pay to use their own alternative power supply . Watch this space
Newcastle residents are sick & tired of the corruption in this municipality! When you go directly to the municipality & ask for an explanation for the extremely high billing, they beat around the bush & never really even give you any answers. They’ll tell you to take a chance by testing the meter which will cost R1600, where do they think we get money from? We are ordinary citizens trying to make an honest living, they on the other hand are thieves who don’t mind people going hungry in order to have enough money to pay these ridiculous electricity bills! We’ve applied for the prepaid meters last year !!! In 2022, their excuse is that they haven’t received any meters for a long time! This is utter bs!! They want to keep us relying on them for electricity so that they can keep ripping us off with their estimates.
Newcastle residents, we seriously need to stand together because enough is enough!
Can we have the contact number to call when we experiencing problems with load shedding schedule e.g when electricity power doesnt return back for 3 to 4hours in Pionneer park
My light account in winter shot to 12000 yet we had an average of about 180 hours of loadshedding for the month. With that amount of non usage our accounts should be lower not higher. The municipality is ripping us off and if we complain they just say pay or we cut the lights. This is not right
Address the ridiculous bills we receive every month. We are not working to fund these high costs. When I look at the municipal bills of the so called less privileged are far less than any of the residents for example Paradise, Lennoxton, Hutten Heights etc. I urge all residents to get the municipality to get their teams and check the old meters and replace them with new units. I had to to kick up a fuss with the municipality to replace a faulty meter. I would like to see how they will back pay me for usage that was charged for over the past years.
Hi
There emndozo kwaGudlucingo we always have no electricity even if it’s not loadshedding power trips now and again please help us come winter no power in one section but other sections they have it
Yes we need electricity in that place on winter even now for our children wet to school no food to eat please help
The municipality simply wants to know who is off the grid so that they can find a way to charge those accounts more! Yall built Dubai so yall could have storeys of offices that deal with “finance” – yeah right, more like having more offices for all the people that doctor peoples accounts & find ways to steal money from Newcastle citizens!
As Newcastle citizens we pledge to municipality and eskom we need electricity at Dicks we are struggling ,we still use coal ..please help use ward 33 we have been waiting for 17 years now nut empty promises