On Saturday, 24 June, City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services Department, Jack Sekwaila officially launched the City’s Solar Geyser project at the Finetown Multipurpose Hall.
The project implemented through City Power is part the national water heating program’s energy plan to reduce the impact of loadshedding on residents. 20 000 solar geysers will be installed across the City, including Eskom – supplied areas, especially in the non-affluent low income areas that experience lot of overloading on the Low Voltage network.
City Power’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena told GLOBE POST: “Water Heating contributes about 30% of an average household consumption. This project is part of City Power’s demand side’s management programme to reduce electricity demand and avert loadshedding. We are launching the solar geyser programme in Finetown which was also the launch-pad for our historic solar high mast light. We plan to install at least 500 solar geysers in Finetown for phase 1 in Ward 7, which covers other areas as well. We will identify more beneficiaries, including in other areas as and when we receive more units from National Government.”
The power entity is currently engaging the Department of Mineral Resources (DMRE) for more units.
“There are many benefits that will be brought by the solar geysers, apart from the obvious job creation for the locals. Residents, especially school kids, will have hot water during loadshedding. It will also reduce electricity bill for many residents already strained and recovering from the impact of Covid-19, and economic meltdown. The geysers will so help reduce costs as a municipality so that we can divert those resources to other needy areas,” Mangena added.
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