Explaining how it would work, Hill-Lewis said the city will ask for a reduction in usage to protect its customers and third party aggregators will call on the “power heroes” to switch off.
Third party aggregators appointed via tender, will sign up “power heroes” comprising residential and small-scale commercial customers on a voluntary basis.
“When usage needs to be cut, the aggregators switch off agreed-to non-essential electrical equipment of the 'power heroes'. It could be done remotely via installed smart devices.
“Aggregators reward the power heroes. Aggregators determine the incentives and manage it. The city rewards the aggregators in terms of the tender conditions and agreements.”
Tender documents can collected during working hours between 8am and 3pm until November 1.
Hill-Lewis said this new intervention is based on the conviction that small actions can lead to big impacts.
“These 'power heroes' will help the city to protect customers from the higher stages of Eskom's load-shedding in particular. The Eskom situation is so precarious that a combination of interventions will be key over the next decade as work continues to reduce our reliance on Eskom.
“Smaller energy consumers can make a big difference to keep the lights on for longer in Cape Town and to ensure the Cape Town economy is enhanced and protected as much as possible. The 'power heroes' will really be going the extra mile for Team Cape Town, as Eskom has shown that load-shedding is here for the foreseeable future,” he said.
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Cape Town residents could soon be paid for switching off their appliances, such as geysers, during load-shedding.
The City of Cape Town said it is looking for “power heroes” to volunteer to switch off appliances in exchange for compensation when electricity supply is strained.
The city's mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, without giving a number, said compensation will be offered to those who agree to the proposal. A reduction of 60MW usage is targeted.
Explaining how it would work, Hill-Lewis said the city will ask for a reduction in usage to protect its customers and third party aggregators will call on the “power heroes” to switch off.
Third party aggregators appointed via tender, will sign up “power heroes” comprising residential and small-scale commercial customers on a voluntary basis.
“When usage needs to be cut, the aggregators switch off agreed-to non-essential electrical equipment of the 'power heroes'. It could be done remotely via installed smart devices.
“Aggregators reward the power heroes. Aggregators determine the incentives and manage it. The city rewards the aggregators in terms of the tender conditions and agreements.”
Tender documents can collected during working hours between 8am and 3pm until November 1.
Hill-Lewis said this new intervention is based on the conviction that small actions can lead to big impacts.
“These 'power heroes' will help the city to protect customers from the higher stages of Eskom's load-shedding in particular. The Eskom situation is so precarious that a combination of interventions will be key over the next decade as work continues to reduce our reliance on Eskom.
“Smaller energy consumers can make a big difference to keep the lights on for longer in Cape Town and to ensure the Cape Town economy is enhanced and protected as much as possible. The 'power heroes' will really be going the extra mile for Team Cape Town, as Eskom has shown that load-shedding is here for the foreseeable future,” he said.
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