Final Adopted IDP - KZN Development Planning

to be powered by electricity. It therefore provides a good estimation of the percentage
of the population with access to electricity. The map above reflects household access
to electricity as an energy source for lighting per current ward in the Municipality,
based on Census 2011 household information.
In September 2012 the Council of the Municipality adopted an electrification
prioritisation model to address the backlog per ward in rural households where no access
to electricity is currently available. The weighted electrification model identifies a
number of factors that impact on the rendering of an electricity service to households
including access to a primary electricity source (which has the highest weighting),
project cost per capita, proximity to a development corridor etc.. Based on the model
the remaining twenty wards within the Ulundi municipal area were prioritised to receive
the benefit of future electrification funding whether it be from the INEF or other
source. Details of the electrification prioritisation model and the prioritisation of
Eskom supplied (rural) areas are set out in Annexure N attached to this IDP document.
Renewable Energy
Recognising that the eradication of the electricity service distribution backlogs within
the Eskom licence area is a long term process, the Municipality has explored alternative
energy sources. The use of solar energy provides one solution to the current electricity
service distribution backlog. In this regard there are two options being considered –
• The installation of a solar geyser in households where a water service is available,
primarily in urban and peri-urban areas within the Municipality – during the 2011 /
2012 financial year it was initially planned to install 2 300 solar geysers in
households located in Unit K (1 000 households), Unit L (500 households) and Unit
M (800 households) from funding provided by Eskom. However, Eskom indicated
that this funding is scheduled to be available during the 2012 / 2013 financial year
• In the rural areas solar panels are to be installed in households as an electricity
source; a service provider has been appointed to source funding for this
intervention
Electrical Protection
Electrical protection is at the heart of an electricity service distribution system; the
function of the protection is to clear downstream faults and ensure that only the
affected area will be isolated during fault conditions. In the past, downstream faults
would run back and trip the main intake substation breaker instead of clearing only the
affected area, resulting in total blackouts for the whole of Ulundi. Electrical protection
of all substations has now been graded in order to isolate only affected areas.
Replacement equipment for protection relays has been purchased and, with the
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