At the eleventh hour power utility Eskom has announced, it will be implementing Stage 3 load shedding from 4pm on Friday until 5am on Saturday.
It said that from 5am on Saturday, it will be implementing Stage 1 and Stage 2 load shedding until further notice.
“Stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm today until 5am on Saturday. Thereafter, Stage 1 load shedding will be implemented from 5am until 4pm, followed by Stage 2 load shedding until 5am on Sunday. This pattern will be repeated daily until further notice,” Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said.
She said the power utility will closely monitor the power system and communicate any changes to the load shedding schedule should they be required.
Unplanned outages are currently at 17,507 MW of generating capacity, including the delayed return to service of Koeberg Unit 1, while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 4,783 MW.
“Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit each at Camden, Majuba, and Medupi power stations, as well as two generating units at Arnot Power Station, were taken offline for repairs. In the same period, two generating units at Kriel Power Station were returned to service. “Eskom teams are working tirelessly to ensure that additional generating units are returned to service as soon as possible. Eskom’s load forecast for the evening peak demand is 26,002 MW,” Mokwena said.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL