Load shedding to continue on Friday

South Africa’s struggling state power utility Eskom said it would cut up to 2 000 megawatts (MW) of power from the national grid on Friday, as generating units continue to perform at low levels of reliability.

As at 0430 GMT, there is 11 996 MW of unavailable capacity, Eskom said in a statement, adding that it wants to reduce unplanned breakdowns to below 9 500 MW.

The utility is still using diesel and water to supplement capacity.

“Load shedding will be required all day to cater for further trips and to create capacity to replenish water reserves for our pumped storage schemes,” Eskom said.

The cuts will shift from 1 000 MW to 2 000 MW from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Eskom said it will provide a prognosis for the long weekend later on Friday.

The state-owned utility produces more than 90% of South Africa’s power but has struggled to keep up with demand, leading to nationwide power cuts that have deterred investments.

It has also been a major cause of concern for President Cyril Ramaphosa, who came to power nearly two years ago, vowing to reverse years of mismanagement and economic stagnation.