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Eskom said it will be decreasing load shedding this weekend amid the cold front, but stage 4 power cuts would remain until 5am on Saturday.
Thereafter, various stages of load shedding will be implemented until 5am on Monday.
Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the utility would publish another update should any significant changes occur.
Mokwena said breakdowns have reduced to 16 686MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3 966MW.
“Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit at Camden, Duvha and two generating units at Kendal power stations were returned to service.
“In the same period, a generating unit at Medupi and two generating units at Kriel power stations were taken offline for repairs. The delay in returning to service a generating unit at Kendal, Majuba and two generating units at Tutuka power stations is contributing to the current capacity constraints,” Mokwena said.
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Meanwhile, just days after Eskom announced it would directly cut power to customers in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), the power utility handed power back to the municipality to implement rolling blackouts.
The parastatal accused the city of failing to reduce power loads, saying it had “engaged the municipality regarding its failure to load shed its customers”
Eskom warned that it would take over other municipalities that failed to implement necessary power cuts.
“Eskom will continue to monitor the CoE and other municipalities to ensure that they implement load shedding accordingly. Eskom will take over the load shedding of any municipality that fails to comply for whatever reason, even after it has been engaged on the matter, as was the case with Ekurhuleni.”
“The power utility is obliged to take the necessary precautions to protect the integrity and stability of the grid,” Eskom said.
Additional reporting by Kyle Zeeman
ALSO READ: Eskom hands back the load shedding reins to Ekurhuleni
