Stage 6 load shedding? What? As the number of cold days and economic activities increase, so too does the likelihood of having Eskom implement load shedding across the country.

During level 5 lockdown, the power utility offered a ray of hope to South Africans when it announced that critical maintenance had progressed, and the grid was set to be powered-up without interruption for the foreseeable future. As lockdown restrictions eased and the economic activity resumed, this picture has begun to look a little less peachy and the situation is not aided by the biting winter cold seeing a greater surge in electricity usage – likely driven by the increased use of heaters and the like.

South Africans may soon experience the frustration of ongoing load shedding with implementation said to reach as high as stage 6. The move to renewable and alternative energy sources is rapidly becoming a necessity and the electrical industry is noting an increase in generator and solar installation requests.

Illegal connections also compound the issue of power supply and financial difficulty experienced by the various Metros, as well as the power utilities. Citizens found to have illegal electrical connections could face hefty fines of up to R22 000 for residents and as much as R1 million for illegally connected businesses.

Alternative power solutions needn’t be a financially burdensome exercise and are often erroneously viewed as just that. As the need within South Africa grows for off-grid alternatives, solutions such as solar are becoming more affordable and solution-specific finance is made available. The likes of partnerships between Titan Electrical and FinYou make the move away from conventional electricity dependency, an option that is within reach. You can complete the application directly on the Sunburst website too.

Stay up to date with planned outages in your area using apps such as ESP or Load Shedding Notifier. Alternatively, you can visit the Eskom website for schedules and information.