In many newspapers and in Engineering News & Mining Weekly itself, there are references to the collapse of the power grid. Just so that we all understand what we are talking about, the grid is the electrical system which supplies electricity (in this case) to South Africa.

As South Africa draws more or less electricity, the power grid is loaded more or less and there is a reduction in supply voltage or a slight increase in the same. It’s possible, under exceptional circumstances, that the power being drawn at some place increases by a great degree. This causes the power system at that place to be overloaded such that the voltage supplied to that power system reduces and thus causes less electricity to be supplied. Consequently, the voltage is more greatly reduced until the whole system just fails. It’s not too complicated to understand. Everybody has at some stage seen the overloading of some electrical system for some reason and the subsequent trip of the same.

For electrical power systems of any size, there is something else which can happen – the power system is overloaded until the grid collapses, then the electrical system is not loaded again for some period. It can be up to a number of hours. Under this circumstance, when the power system is reconnected, the whole power system is loaded to its full extent. The result is that the grid is once again overloaded and trips again. The only way to restore the power system under these conditions is to load it bit by bit. It can take from a few hours to one or two days to get the power system up and running and normal again.

In the worst power system collapse which happened in South Africa, the power system took three days to get back to normal. One often reads of predictions of power system collapses which will last for up to a week or more. In practical terms, this is not really possible and extremely unlikely to happen. (Note that I say extremely unlikely, not impossible.)

Eskom is currently predicting the possibility of a power system collapse as a result of a lack of capacity. In real terms, this is not possible and is very unlikely. Eskom is currently operating the power system in a way which is very surprising. We read of predicted power shortages and outages countrywide based on causes which are very unlikely. We are told that large and fairly competent businesses are taking precautions to act against a grid failure, which, in fact, again is unlikely to happen. I don’t know why Eskom raises the subject on these matters.

In my opinion, the Eskom employees who were once employed to operate the power system and provide control of such operations have been replaced by people who are no longer competent to do so. These remarks may anger some or all of Eskom’s staff, but there can be no other explanation for the current method of operating the power system.

In the final analysis, one has to conclude that the most obvious explanation about how the power system is being operated cannot be understood and must be explained in detail. If this is the case, it means Eskom has a plan which is not one that normal power system operators will follow with any ease. I think (for what it’s worth) that Eskom should employ some competent staff to operate the system in a method that makes more sense.

One might state that the problem lies at present with the grid and that the grid is at fault and that proper operation of the grid is what’s needed at the present time. The fact is that the grid was, if not in perfect operation, at least in reasonable operation until the present administration took power and it has deteriorated since then.

The fact is that electricity is for sale in this country and people are willing to sell it and to buy it. Thus, there is no overwhelming reason to have a power system which doesn’t work.