Cape Town – South Africans should brace themselves for further blackouts as power utility Eskom announces it will be implementing Stage 4 load shedding today.
In an alert, Eskom said this follows the tripping of its generation units at Majuba Unit 5 and Tutuka Unit 4.
It said a full statement will be released in due course.
This comes as a heavy blow to South Africans after the power utility implemented Stage 2 load shedding on Sunday, which it would have suspended at 5am on Wednesday, April 20.
At the time, Eskom said Stage 2 load shedding was implemented due to additional generation unit losses and the delayed return to service of generators.
“The loss of four additional generation units at Matla, Tutuka, Duvha and Arnot power stations over the past 24 hours, exacerbated by the delay in units returning to service at Camden, Matla, Grootvlei, and Tutuka power stations has unfortunately necessitated the implementation of load shedding,” the power utility said.
Eskom said load shedding is implemented only as a last resort to protect the national grid.
This is a developing story.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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