While load-shedding is expected to continue plaguing South Africa for at least the next six months, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) energy systems senior engineer Joanne Calitz has also warned consumers to expect electricity prices to further increase by about 36% by 2021.

This is drawn from a comparison over the past decade, which has seen energy prices in the country skyrocket from about 85c/kWh in 2008 to an expected R1.16/kWh in 2021.

This, she adds, is equal to an increase of about 300% from 2008 to 2018 alone.

“These tariffs are the average Eskom tariff. As a residential customer, you would be more accustomed to a price range of R1.50/kWh to R2/kWh. What this would mean for you by 2021 is that it will be around R2.50/kWh. This really speaks to the affordability of electricity for households going forward,” she says.

Moreover, Calitz highlights, in just the first three months of this year, load-shedding across the country amounted to 769 GWh. This was just over half of what load-shedding amounted to in 2015, she adds.

March has been the most load-shedding- intensive month thus far, she points out, accounting for 595 GWh of the total 769 GWh of load-shedding.

Meanwhile, South African consumers are struggling to survive amid increased inflation, including increases in fuel prices and electricity tariffs, and CSIR principal engineer Dr Jarrad Wright has provided some tips to help mitigate load-shedding, while also saving on costs.

Firstly, Wright says, energy efficiency would help consumers use less electricity, thus paying less for it.

He suggests the use of light-emitting diode (LED) lights; electric geyser blankets and/or pipe insulation; air-conditioning set-point changes; and the installation of energy efficient and smart appliances for an overall reduction in electricity use.

These methods are some of the cheaper and most environment-friendly options, he explains, noting that consumers could expect to pay between R50 and R80 per LED light for household use and between R3 000 and R10 000 per energy efficient or smart appliance.

While the latter is more expensive, it will have the biggest impact.

The cheapest option, Wright notes, will be to adjust the air-conditioning set point, which will cost the consumer nothing.

However, should consumers not have available finances in the short term, Wright suggests that consumers consider moving the use of electricity to different times of the day. This will, in turn, assist the power system.

As an example, Wright highlights the use of a timer on an electric geyser and pool pump.

Further, simple behavioural changes, such as changing the time at which one cooks, cleans or does washing, will have a greater impact on relieving pressure on the national grid.

“Just changing simple behaviours [like these], would significantly reduce morning and evening demand, which is when the system is the most constrained.”

Should finances improve for the consumer, another option would be to invest in generating own electricity, which could be achieved through standby generators, rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, inverters for batteries or a combination of all three.

Self-supplying electricity and possibly exporting to become a “prosumer”, whether for reliability or cost, are becoming more feasible, he highlights.

However, he warns that this is one of the most capital-intensive options, with a rooftop solar PV installation costing anything from R30 000 to R125 000 per square metre.

Generators, for example, would have the added cost of fuel, which could be anything from R120 to R1 200 extra a month, but would ultimately provide a more reliable electricity supply.

In the interim, Wright suggests, consumers could consider using other energy sources, such as a clean-burning stoves or braais to cook, investing in a solar water heater, or using liquefied petroleum gas for water and space heating and cooking.

Should load-shedding not be too worrisome for the consumer, Wright suggests that the most simple mitigation measure would be to install standby lighting to provide light in the home during the two to four hours of load-shedding.

The start-up cost of this would be between R150 and R300 per light, but would assist in making load-shedding a little more bearable, especially at night, he adds.

Moreover, Wright warns that, when considering any new self-supply or other energy option for a household, the consumer has to ensure the necessary safety standards and approvals are met.

“Technology choices and system performance should always be verified and have a long-term dimension. “Consumers must not just install and assume [that everything is in working order],” he states.

Suggestions such as these could reduce the risk of fire or electrocution and minimise localised emissions.