Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Good day everyone. This is your power and energy guru, Professor Valley Padiachi. Today I want to clarify the difference between load shedding and a power blackout in the context of South Africa's electricity challenges with power generation. Load shedding is a control process where utility providers like Eskom intentionally cut power supply to specific areas for defined periods to prevent an overload of the generation system.
[00:00:28] Unfortunately, until very recently, this has become commonplace in South Africa due to capacity issues, maintenance delays and aging infrastructure. Conversely, a power blackout is an uncontrolled loss of power across the region resulting from significant failures in the grid or natural disasters. Unlike load shedding, which is planned, a power blackout unpredictable and can cause widespread disruption.
[00:00:59] Now, regarding network security, why is the South African electricity grid seemingly more secure than that of the Iberian Peninsula, including Spain and Portugal? Our experience with managing supply and demand, particularly through structured load shedding practices, allows us to maintain some level of stability.
[00:01:20] Our grid also has all the bells and whistles, buckles and braces and multiple redundancies to make it resilient. In comparison, the Iberian Peninsula faces challenges from an inflexible generation portfolio and heavy reliance on intermittent renewable sources without seemingly adequate backup systems leading to blackouts. Additionally, South Africa has an excellent team of ESKOM and municipal grid operators managing the grid. In summary, while both load sharing and blackouts indicate systemic issues, South Africa's approach to managing these challenges provide a unique level of grid security compared to the Iberian Peninsula. I thank you.
