In an effort to mitigate the constant power outages in Gauteng, City Power says it will be installing solar-powered high mast lights at some municipalities from next month.
This initiative comes after the Gauteng government entered into an agreement with City Power to provide residents with power generation solutions which includes ensuring that water pumping stations rely on solar solutions during blackouts.
The Gauteng department of infrastructure development is also leading initiatives of installing rooftop solar solutions, particularly in government facilities, focusing on health facilities.
These plans were announced by Gauteng finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo during his medium-term budget policy statement on Tuesday, adding that the budget had increased by R4.5bn to fund energy projects, the expansion of services to townships, informal settlements and hotel areas among other things.
“There is no doubt that energy and water infrastructure remain critical to boost positive investor sentiment and to grow the economy,” he said.
Mamabolo said the provincial government has already concluded a memorandum of understanding with City Power to act as the implementing agent to leverage renewable technology.
“As part of this memorandum of understanding we are also seeking to support infrastructure systems to ensure a stable supply of water,” he said.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena told Sowetan they have gas turbines that are being “recommissioned as part of our energy plans to cushion our residents from load shedding”. It is hoped that these interventions will enable the province to be one stage below the national load shedding schedule.
Tshifularo Mashava, CEO of City Power, welcomed the “vote of confidence by the Gauteng provincial government for City Power to lead the implementation of the provincial energy plan”.
“This talks to our collective ability to deal with the blackouts,” she said.
“I am happy to say that we have already moved a great deal in this regard with a memorandum of agreement signed with [the] provincial government’s CoGTA department and different local municipalities such as Emfuleni, Rand West, Sedibeng for our entity to deliver the alternative energy programmes in a quest to mitigate load shedding across the province."
"Other municipalities are Lesedi and Merafong. The local municipalities are chosen by the provincial government, and City Power implements these on the province’s behalf.”
She said the programme they would be implementing includes the rollout of solar high mast public lighting systems which are known as Apollo lights in the townships, pole-mounted transformers and miniature substations, and smart metering technologies in all these municipalities and Eskom-supplied areas within Joburg.
City Power has already started in Soweto, Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Finetown, Ivory Park, Alexandra, Eldorado Park, Lenasia among others.
“As City Power, we are already implementing these within our supply areas, and we are ready to be able to roll these out to the local municipalities around us.”
Chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za
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Image: Sharon Seretlo
In an effort to mitigate the constant power outages in Gauteng, City Power says it will be installing solar-powered high mast lights at some municipalities from next month.
This initiative comes after the Gauteng government entered into an agreement with City Power to provide residents with power generation solutions which includes ensuring that water pumping stations rely on solar solutions during blackouts.
The Gauteng department of infrastructure development is also leading initiatives of installing rooftop solar solutions, particularly in government facilities, focusing on health facilities.
These plans were announced by Gauteng finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo during his medium-term budget policy statement on Tuesday, adding that the budget had increased by R4.5bn to fund energy projects, the expansion of services to townships, informal settlements and hotel areas among other things.
“There is no doubt that energy and water infrastructure remain critical to boost positive investor sentiment and to grow the economy,” he said.
Mamabolo said the provincial government has already concluded a memorandum of understanding with City Power to act as the implementing agent to leverage renewable technology.
“As part of this memorandum of understanding we are also seeking to support infrastructure systems to ensure a stable supply of water,” he said.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena told Sowetan they have gas turbines that are being “recommissioned as part of our energy plans to cushion our residents from load shedding”. It is hoped that these interventions will enable the province to be one stage below the national load shedding schedule.
Tshifularo Mashava, CEO of City Power, welcomed the “vote of confidence by the Gauteng provincial government for City Power to lead the implementation of the provincial energy plan”.
“This talks to our collective ability to deal with the blackouts,” she said.
“I am happy to say that we have already moved a great deal in this regard with a memorandum of agreement signed with [the] provincial government’s CoGTA department and different local municipalities such as Emfuleni, Rand West, Sedibeng for our entity to deliver the alternative energy programmes in a quest to mitigate load shedding across the province."
"Other municipalities are Lesedi and Merafong. The local municipalities are chosen by the provincial government, and City Power implements these on the province’s behalf.”
She said the programme they would be implementing includes the rollout of solar high mast public lighting systems which are known as Apollo lights in the townships, pole-mounted transformers and miniature substations, and smart metering technologies in all these municipalities and Eskom-supplied areas within Joburg.
City Power has already started in Soweto, Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Finetown, Ivory Park, Alexandra, Eldorado Park, Lenasia among others.
“As City Power, we are already implementing these within our supply areas, and we are ready to be able to roll these out to the local municipalities around us.”
Chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za
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