UPDATE: Load shedding moves to Stage 4 from 1pm until 10pm today

Eskom has announced that the rotational load shedding it first notified South Africans of yesterday, and which they said this morning would take place from 9am until 10pm, has now moved from Stage 2 to Stage 4. This means 4,000MW will be shed, double what was initially expected.

The power utility says in a statement the reason behind this is that they have lost an additional six generating units since this morning “unexpectedly”.

Stage 4 was once the severest form of load shedding, until Eskom added an extra four stages in November. The stages of load shedding now go up to Stage 8.

Stage 4 can mean blackouts with no warning and outside of the usual schedule. South Africa’s power problems have not escalated to this level since 2008.

#POWERALERT 2
Date: 11 February 2019

Rotational loadshedding moves to Stage 4 from 13H00 to 22H00 @CityPowerJhb@City_Ekurhuleni@CityTshwane @CityofCT @eNCA @IOL @SABCNewsOnline pic.twitter.com/UnrIVTprHM

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) February 11, 2019

Eskom announced on Monday morning that stage 2 rotational load shedding would continue today from 9am until 10pm, after the dreaded shed returned with a vengeance again yesterday afternoon.

#POWERALERT 1
Date: 11 February 2019

Eskom implements Stage 2 rotational loadshedding @eNCA @SABCNewsOnline @IOL @TimesLIVE @CityPowerJhb @City_Ekurhuleni @CityTshwane @eThekwiniM @CityofCT pic.twitter.com/Lj2lk9uBgD

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) February 11, 2019

According to the struggling power utility, this had been “as a result of a shortage of capacity”. Eskom also said they needed to “replenish and preserve emergency water and diesel resources to limit load shedding possibility or magnitude thereof in the following week”, said a statement from the parastatal.

On Monday they said they were still experiencing the problem of generating units tripping, which was hampering power output. 2,000MW would therefore need to be shed to protect the power system from total collapse.

Spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe said there had been plant breakdowns.

NOTICE: Eskom will implement stage 2 loadshedding from 9am to 10pm today. The power system remains constrained following a number of plant breakdowns yesterday. https://t.co/nqeDnoyhAo

— Khulu Phasiwe (@KhuluPhasiwe) February 11, 2019

The embattled utility has again appealed to residents and businesses to use electricity sparingly and switch off geysers as well as “all non-essential lighting and electricity appliances to assist in reducing demand”.

Full schedules are available here.

Here's how you can view your #loadshedding schedule @CityPowerJhb @City_Ekurhuleni @Loadshedding_SA @saloadshedding @loadshedbuddy pic.twitter.com/Hq2IatLjtM

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) February 10, 2019

(Compiled by Charles Cilliers)

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