Across South Africa consumers are faced with higher electricity bills, following the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) approval for Eskom to push up bulk tariffs with 15,1% and municipalities enforcing this increase. Most consumers will receive their new, likely heftier, bills this month.
In Drakenstein, which covers Paarl and Wellington in the Western Cape, the municipality has decided to increase their consumers’ bills in the new 2023-’24 financial year with only the Eskom increase of 15,1% and not charge their consumers any additional fees. “We took this step as a responsible local government institution, and conscious of the impact on our residents,” said Alderman Conrad Poole, Executive Mayor of Drakenstein.
That said, there are ways consumers can ensure their bills are not an unpleasant surprise waiting in their email inboxes or post boxes at the end of the month. One such way is to lower your home’s amperage. Here Drakenstein Municipality explains how this works in its municipal area:
How can I make sure that my electricity bill is as low as possible?
You can request Drakenstein Municipality to lower your home’s amperage to 20 Amp. The unit price of a 20Amp connection is more affordable than the unit price of a 30 Amp or higher connection. For the 20 Amp connection there is also no basic charge.
For the 2023-’24 financial year, the unit price of 20 Amp is R1,85 (VAT inclusive) up to 400 kWh, and R2,56 (VAT inclusive) per unit for units used above 400 kWh.
How do I know if a 20 Amp connection is sufficient for my home? Are there any dangers?
When you have a 20 Amp connection, you can switch on a limited number of appliances at the same time. If you switch on more the current limiter will reach its full capacity and the installation will disconnect by tripping. If it trips, you simply switch off some of the appliances and switch on the main switch again, or if you have a prepaid meter it will take a couple of seconds to reset, and the electricity will go on again by itself. If the power trips and you switch it on again, it does not draw extra electricity and you won’t pay more.
It is easy to calculate how many appliances can be switched on at the same time. If you have a 20 Amp connection, you can switch on appliances adding up to a total load of 20 Amp at the same time.
Appliances have Amp values such as:
. Geyser: 13 Amp . Normal stove: 13 Amp–22 Amp . Two-plate stove: 7 Amp–9 Amp . Kettle: 10 Amp . Light: 0.2 Amp . TV: 2 Amp . Washing machine: 1.5 Amp . Tumble dryer: 13 Amp . Iron: 10 Amp . Hairdryer: 10 Amp . Hair straightener: 4 Amp
You should make sure the Amp values of the appliances, switched on at the same time, don’t add up to more than 20 Amp when you have a 20 Amp connection.
What are the basic charges for 30 Amp connections and higher?
The basic charges for single phase domestic consumers for the 2023-’24 financial year are: . Domestic single phase 20 Amp – Free. Domestic single phase 30 Amp – R291,69. Domestic single phase 40 Amp – R496,49. Domestic single phase 50 Amp – R620,62. Domestic single phase 60 Amp – R744,74. Domestic single phase 70 Amp – R868,86. Domestic single phase 80 Amp – R992,99. Domestic single phase 90 Amp – R1 117,11
How do I apply for my home’s amperage to be lowered to 20 Amp?
Please contact or visit any of the Municipality’s enquiries desk and complete the necessary application form. The completed form can either be submitted at the Paarl Civic Centre, Berg River Boulevard, Paarl, or emailed to customercare@drakenstein.gov.za for approval.
What is the difference between the cost of a 20 Amp connection and a higher-amperage connection?
For the 2023-’24 financial year, the unit price of 20 Amp is R1,85 (VAT inclusive) up to 400 kWh, and R2,56 (VAT inclusive) per unit for units used above 400 kWh. For the 20 Amp connection there is no basic charge.
For the 2023-’24 financial year, the unit price of a higher connection (30 Amp) is R2,41 (VAT inclusive). For these higher Amp connections, basic charges of R253,64 (VAT inclusive) or more are levied.
