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Eskom said they had lost several generation units.
Picture: iStock
Eskom has implemented stage 2 load shedding from just after 6pm on Wednesday until 5am Thursday morning.
The parastatal’s spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, said Eskom had lost several generation units.
“While we have made notable progress in our generation recovery efforts, Eskom faced the loss of five generation units before the peak period. Consequently, stage 2 load shedding was implemented at 6:25pm and will remain in effect until 5am tomorrow.
“We continue to prioritise planned maintenance to strengthen system reliability ahead of the winter months while ensuring adherence to environmental and licensing conditions,” Mokwena said.
ALSO READ: Eskom suspends load shedding after recovery of generation capacity
Mokwena has urged the public to use electricity sparingly.
“In light of the ongoing system constraints, we urge the public to use electricity sparingly.”
“Eskom sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused and will continue to provide updates as required,” Mokwena said
The rolling blackouts come less than two weeks after Eskom implemented stage 3 load shedding
Eskom earlier this month warned that its planned maintenance outages will continue as it prepares for the upcoming winter season.
Meanwhile, the newly refurbished Unit 2 at Koeberg nuclear power station was brought back online earlier this month following problems that contributed to the latest bout of Stage 3 load shedding.
Koeberg Unit 2 went down due to a steam leak in its reheat system. This put the national grid under strain, resulting in rolling blackouts.
Koeberg is a key contributor to Eskom’s energy generation mix, stabilising the country’s electricity supply by providing reliable baseload power.
Mokwena said Unit 1 is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance, including fuel refuelling and statutory tests, as part of the life extension process.
The station’s units 1 and 2 have undergone life extension exercises. In July last year, the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) granted Eskom a licence to continue operating Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 until 21 July 2044.
ALSO READ: Koeberg Unit 2 back online, but what caused the ‘unplanned’ trip?
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