Govt warns solar water geyser installers

Friday, May 13, 2011

Pretoria - Government will take stern action against service providers who do not comply with standards involved when installing solar water geysers, Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said.

"I must reiterate that these requirements should be followed to the letter. The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications will be able to assist our department in enforcing compliance to these legal and regulatory requirements," said the minister, following some defects in installations in the Western Cape.

Government plans to install one million solar water heaters by 2014.

"The latest information that the Department of Energy has indicated that about 6 500 units have collectively been installed in Mossel Bay, Saldanha and Theewaterskloof municipalities within the Western Cape. All these installations have been implemented successfully as a result of the Eskom Rebate Programme," she explained.

On the matter of energy efficiency and demand side management (EEDSM), the department has provided a three year grant funding (from 2009/10 to 2011/12 financial year) to municipalities as part of the EEDSM to install energy efficient lighting technologies in municipal buildings, street and traffic lights in order to mitigate the risk of load shedding and supply interruptions.