Load shedding returns – stage 2 until Saturday

Due to plant breakdowns at three power stations, Eskom will implement stage-2 load shedding for the rest of the week, CEO André de Ruyter said in a media conference on Wednesday.

The rolling power cuts will start at 2pm on Wednesday and last until at least 5am on Saturday, De Ruyter said.

“Due to the loss of Medupi, Kendal and Duvha units, we now have insufficient generation capacity at our disposal and, as such, we have no alternative but to implement stage-2 load shedding…,” he said.

“We have a challenge with our remaining emergency reserves. Our projected diesel consumption has put us in a position where we are likely to deplete our diesel reserves too quickly and that will create an undue amount of risk in the system. Consequently, we have to preserve our emergency reserves.”

Eskom, which has struggled for a decade to meet demand for electricity in South Africa, makes regular use of diesel-burning open-cycle gas turbines to keep the lights on.  — (c) 2021 NewsCentral Media