Power Outages?

[Vannie]

Your part of New Jersey didn't get hit by the huge blackout in the summer of 2003? (Or is that just outside your 20-year window? )

I had forgotten about that. I think maybe that might have been a 16 or so hour event in our area. I don't remember it well.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

I had forgotten about that. I think maybe that might have been a 16 or so hour event in our area. I don't remember it well.

It was a couple of days for much of the city.

 

[Thula]

South Africa used to be a wonderful country ... now ...?
We're getting used to an average of 10 hours a day without electricity, (2 to 4 hour sessions), in the Capital City.
All my work is on Computer. I've now resorted to folding & selling Origami to generate some income ...

 

[Vannie]

It was a couple of days for much of the city.

I was staying at a Hilton and remember it being a warm night/nights.I thought maybe parts of NJ came back sooner but I might be wrong.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

South Africa used to be a wonderful country ... now ...?
We're getting used to an average of 10 hours a day without electricity, (2 to 4 hour sessions), in the Capital City.

Are you referring to Pretoria or Cape Town?

 

[unloadonme]

South Africa used to be a wonderful country ... now ...?
We're getting used to an average of 10 hours a day without electricity, (2 to 4 hour sessions), in the Capital City.

That's appalling.

I found this article which sets out something of the background:

South African energy crisis - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[pigface]

Are you referring to Pretoria or Cape Town?

All cities, it's nation-wide.
In the early 1990s we had one of the most efficient electricity supply structures in the world.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Oddly, if the US experienced this kind of perpetual shortage, there would be riots.

We can have mass shootings multiple times a week, but let the power stay off without there being a natural disaster as the cause, and some government will burn to the ground in short order.

 

[TickTockMan]

@ I should buy a power generator

Don't. Just count your next outage as one of those camping trips you've been longing for.

Smartass, but great thought.


I have read putting a tent on you bed and sleeping in it does help with staying warm during winter outages. You may be on to something.

 

[gsdx]

South Africa used to be a wonderful country ... now ...?
We're getting used to an average of 10 hours a day without electricity, (2 to 4 hour sessions), in the Capital City.
All my work is on Computer. I've now resorted to folding & selling Origami to generate some income ...

I used to know a British family who lived near Johannesburg in the late 90s. They were constantly losing electricity to poachers stealing the power lines to sell the copper. Is that still a problem?

 

[Alistair]

The electric doesn’t go out very often here. The last time it was for a day but before that was years ago and only for a short time.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

The electric doesn’t go out very often here. The last time it was for a day but before that was years ago and only for a short time.

Are the power lines there buried or on poles?

 

[Alistair]

All of them are on poles.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

And you still almost never get power outages despite any storms? Wow ...

 

[TickTockMan]

All of them are on poles.

Stop it!. You're making me horny.

 

[Rickrock]

Although we have had a few outages for a few hours, it is rare. There are sometimes two or several years without outages and then 2 outages in a year for an hour or two. We did have one outage for three hours a couple or so of years ago.

 

[pigface]

I used to know a British family who lived near Johannesburg in the late 90s. They were constantly losing electricity to poachers stealing the power lines to sell the copper. Is that still a problem?

It does happen still, but it applies to specific small areas.
The problem now is zero maintenance over the last 2 decades and theft of funds by officials.

 

[Thula]

Are you referring to Pretoria or Cape Town?

Pretoria

 

[unloadonme]

In the early 1990s we had one of the most efficient electricity supply structures in the world.

What happened after the early 1990s which made such a difference?

 

[pigface]

What happened after the early 1990s which made such a difference?

Change of ruling party.