#EskomMicrogrid #UniversalAccessToElectricity #RenewableEnergySA #SwartkopdamElectrification #EnergyPovertyGap #CSRInitiatives #SouthAfricanEnergy
Emzamweni wokusondeza iNingizimu Afrika ekufinyeleleni ugesi emhlabeni wonke, Ukusatshalaliswa kwe-Eskom sekuthathe igxathu elibalulekile ngokwethula iphrojekthi yokuqala ye-microgrid yezobuchwepheshe e-Swartkopdam, esendaweni ecishe ibe yi-150km ukusuka e-Upington, eNyakatho Kapa. Ama-Microgrid anikeza isixazululo esisebenzayo, esithembekile, nesisebenziseka kalula sokufaka ugesi ezindaweni ezinenselelo ngokwezwe okungenzeka kube nzima ukufinyelela kuzo noma ezidinga ukusetshenziswa kwezimali okukhulu. Le microgrid esezingeni eliphezulu e-Swartkopdam ilethe ugesi emizini engama-39 ebikade ingenawo amandla kagesi, okuqeda izingqinamba zamanethiwekhi kagesi akhona endaweni, obekungenakwenzeka ukunwetshwa nokuxhunywa.
Ukuqaliswa ngempumelelo kwale microgrid e-Swartkopdam kulandela ukufakwa kwamaphrojekthi amabili okulinga ama-microgrid e-Lynedoch eNtshonalanga Kapa naseFicksburg eFreyistata.
Ukusabalalisa kuka-Eskom kuhlonze i-Swartkopdam njengendawo ebaluleke kakhulu edinga ukufakelwa ugesi. Ngenxa yendawo ekude kanye nokuba khona kwezinsiza ezibalulekile ezishumekwe kugridi, i-Eskom Research, Testing, and Development (RT&D) inqume ukuthi i-microgrid enamandla okugcina amandla ebhethri izoba yisixazululo esifaneleka kakhulu. Enye indlela evamile yacatshangelwa, ehilela ulayini wama-200km 132kV osuka esiteshini esingaphansi i-Gordonia kanye nokusungulwa kwesiteshi esincane i-Noenieput e-Noenieput, esilinganiselwa ku-R250 million. Kodwa-ke, le nketho ithathwe njengebiza kakhulu futhi ngaleyo ndlela ayizange ilandelwe.
Ukusatshalaliswa ngempumelelo kwe-microgrid e-Swartkopdam kumi njengobufakazi bomqondo wokufaka ama-microgrid ezindaweni eziqhelile neziyinselele ukufinyelela kuzo, kwethula enye indlela esebenzayo kuzindlela ezivamile zokufaka ugesi. U-Eskom unezinhlelo ezinqala zokutshala ama-microgrid acishe abe yi-100 ezweni lonke ngoNdasa wezi-2024, njengengxenye ebalulekile yesu lakhe lebhizinisi Lokusabalalisa. U-Monde Bala, oyi-Distribution Group Executive, uzwakalise ukuzinikela kuka-Eskom ekuvaleni igebe lobumpofu bamandla futhi anikeze wonke umuntu waseNingizimu Afrika ulwazi olushintsha impilo lokuthola ugesi.
Ukwamukelwa kwama-microgrid kuletha izinzuzo eziningi ngale kokufakwa kukagesi. Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi ama-microgrid abiza kakhulu, kodwa futhi afaka isandla kakhulu ekwehliseni ukukhishwa kwekhabhoni njengoba ethembele emithonjeni yamandla avuselelekayo.
Ngokusungula izinto ezintsha kanye nokusebenzisana ngokubambisana, u-Eskom uphumelele ukuhlinzeka ngogesi ohlanzekile nothembekile kubantu base-Swartkopdam, njengoba kugcizelelwe nguMpho Makwana, uSihlalo weBhodi yakwa-Eskom. Lo mklamo usebenza njengesiqiniseko sokuzibophezela kuka-Eskom ekwesekeni uhulumeni waseNingizimu Afrika enjongweni yakhe yokuqinisekisa ukutholakala kukagesi kuzo zonke izakhamuzi.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuzibophezela kuka-Eskom ekuzibophezeleni komphakathi (CSR) kubonakala ngeqhaza lakhe emphakathini wase-Swartkopdam. Ngaphezu kokufakwa kwe-microgrid, u-Eskom unikela ngamakhonteyina angomahamba nendlwana amabili kanye nezinto zokungcebeleka eSikoleni Samabanga Aphansi i-Swartkopdam, nokudala indawo yokufunda engcono yabafundi nemiphakathi engomakhelwane.