Eskom has on Friday announced that it might have to bring back Stage 2 load shedding at short notice from 4 pm until midnight and into the weekend as its systems remain constrained. The power utility suspended power cuts on Thursday after dealing with shortages at some of its generation units for several days. The…
Eskom has on Friday announced that it might have to bring back Stage 2 load shedding at short notice from 4 pm until midnight and into the weekend as its systems remain constrained.
The power utility suspended power cuts on Thursday after dealing with shortages at some of its generation units for several days.
The ailing power utility said it was still struggling to avoid implementing load shedding as it was still dealing with a shortage of generation capacity.
Eskom said this was owing to breakdowns and delays in returning some generating units to service.
“The cold front expected during the weekend is also anticipated to result in increased demand for electricity, adding to the capacity constraints. We, therefore, urge all South Africans to continue using electricity sparingly. Eskom will promptly communicate should there be any significant changes,” a statement issued by the utility read.
“The breakdown of two generation units at Hendrina Power Station and the delay in returning a generating unit each at Kendal, Komati, Kusile, and Tutuka power stations during the last 24 hours have put a severe strain on the power generation system.
“During the same period, Eskom teams have returned to service a generating unit each at Kriel and Matla power stations. Eight generating units are expected to return to service by Monday evening. We currently have 4,526MW on planned maintenance, while another 14,574MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns,” the statement further read.
