Ramokgopa: only way to stop load reduction is through mass installation of smart meters

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said that the only way to stop load reduction is through the mass installation of smart meters.

Facing criticism in the National Council of Provinces on Thursday over the impact the outages are having mostly in poor communities, Ramokgopa said this was unfortunate but it’s where electricity demand is high and where illegal connections are widespread.

He adds that push back from criminal networks within Eskom and municipalities will make it difficult to stop load reduction entirely within the next 12 months.

Ramokgopa said that load reduction is necessary to protect infrastructure that is being overburdened by illegal connections.

He added that the plan to counter this is to install more than six million smart meters by 2029, with the first phase targeting almost 1.7 million customers in high risk areas by March 2027.

"Smart meters will enable real time management of network demand, detection of energy theft, and improved customer load balancing."

Ramakgopa said that while technically Eskom is able to stop load reduction by the end of next year, the resistance it’s expected to encounter from communities has pushed the deadline out to March 2027.

"It’s a network of these delinquent, parasitic and rent-seeking individuals. Some of them will be found in Eskom, and some of them will be found in municipalities."

 Ramakgopa said that the department will vigorously try to dissuade communities particularly in peri-urban areas from relying on stolen electricity.