Progress with the government's plan to save energy through a mass roll-out of one million solar water heaters over three years has been dismal, with only several hundred having been installed 10 months into the project.

But its efforts to persuade South Africans to use low-energy compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) has been more successful, with some six million bulbs having been supplied and fitted by Eskom.

This is apparent from Minerals and Energy minister Buyelwa Sonjica's answers to parliamentary questions by the opposition DA.

Her answers come at the same time as a warning from Eskom that the risk of load-shedding and power black-outs remains, with electricity savings well below required levels.

Eskom spokesperson Fani Zulu said this week that reduced electricity consumption over the past year had been a step in the right direction, but was still not sufficient to prevent the risk of load-shedding.

The DA's questions were based on a statement made by Sonjica last January and were intended to hold her to account, explained DA environment spokesman Gareth Morgan.

In her statement, Sonjica agreed that South Africa was facing "an emergency situation" relating to electricity.

She confirmed that a programme was in place with a target of installing one million solar water heaters over the next three years.

"The current cost of the solar heater is prohibitive - it is estimated to cost between R7 000 and R20 000.

"It is also reported that the South African manufacturing capacity is only 10 000 units per annum," she said.

"To eliminate these barriers, there is a subsidy of 20% to 30% depending on the cost of the unit.

"The potential savings of this programme is 650 megawatts (MW).

"The programme is targeting households, group houses - for example, army bases and mine residences - and commercial and industrial applications," she said.

Referring to CFLs, Sonjica said it had been established that there were some 10m- plus electrified households in South Africa using an estimated eight incandescent lights per household.

"It is projected that 800 MW could be saved by replacing (incandescent light bulbs) with CFLs. The final target is to reduce the demand by 750MW by 2010.

"The programme accommodates a free CFL exchange for low-income households until 2015."

Sonjica was asked by the DA's Mike Ellis what progress was being made with the solar water heater roll-out and how the subsidy was administered.

She said in reply that, as at the end of October, 565 solar water heaters had been installed with the Eskom subsidy.

"The suppliers are listed on the Eskom website, as well as the subsidies for the product.

"The public calls a supplier, who installs and receives the subsidy from Eskom for every unit installed and the difference is paid by the customer."

Sonjica was asked details of the CFL roll-out by the DA's Hilda Weber, who wanted to know, among other things, how much money had been allocated by the department, the Central Energy Fund and Eskom for the project in the 2008/09 financial year, and how much of this had been spent.

Weber also wanted to know whether progress had been made to find a safe and efficient way to dispose of CFLs.

Sonjica said Eskom had rolled out six million CFLs and had spent R400m.

Her department had received R180m for the project from the National Treasury for the current financial year, while the Central Energy Fund had not allocated any funds.

"The funds were received at the end of October 2008.

"The contracts are currently being signed before it (sic) will be transferred to Eskom, but it will be spent before the end of March 2009."