Eskom, the state-owned power utility in South Africa, has announced that load-shedding will be increased to stage 2 between 05:00 and 16:00 every day.
This decision comes after the forced shutdown of two generating units on Tuesday morning, which Eskom stated was “imminent”. The increased load-shedding will take effect from 09:00 on Tuesday.
Eskom has assured the public that it will closely monitor the system and provide updates if any significant changes occur.
The power utility had initially planned to implement an alternating schedule of stage 1 and 3 power cuts this week, but the forced shutdown has necessitated the increase to stage 2.
In an effort to alleviate the impact of load-shedding, Eskom anticipates that approximately 3,700MW of generating capacity will be restored by Tuesday evening. However, this is subject to the successful resolution of the issues causing the forced shutdown.
Load-shedding is a measure implemented by Eskom to prevent a total collapse of the power grid during times of high demand.
It involves the planned and controlled interruption of electricity supply to different areas, in order to balance supply and demand. While load-shedding is an inconvenience for consumers, it is necessary to avoid a complete blackout.
Eskom continues to face challenges in maintaining a reliable power supply due to aging infrastructure and other operational issues. The power utility is working towards long-term solutions to ensure a stable and sustainable electricity supply for South Africa.
