Eskom ramps up load shedding to stage 6

Eskom has announced that it will ramp up load shedding to stage 6 from Saturday night to conserve electricity generation capacity.

The power utility said there is a possibility that the stage 6 power cuts may continue to Sunday.

The higher stage of load shedding was ramped up from stage 4 after Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha on Friday said the utility had a number of breakdowns at its power stations.

“Due to the breakdowns of a generating unit each at Koeberg, Medupi, Kriel, Arnot and Lethabo power stations. The implementation of load shedding will be maintained at stage 4 until further notice. Eskom will issue another update as soon as it becomes necessary.”

Mantshantsha said the ramping up of the deliberate power cuts is necessary to replenish generation reserves.

Stage 6

“In order to create space to replenish the emergency generation reserves, Eskom will implement stage 6 load shedding from 8pm tonight until 5am tomorrow morning.”

“Thereafter Stage 4 load shedding will be implemented until further notice, with the possibility that stage 6 load shedding might again be implemented during Sunday night,” Mantshantsha said.

National state of disaster

The deliberate power cuts pushed President Cyril Ramaphosa last week to declare the Eskom crisis a national state of disaster with immediate effect during the State of the Nation Address.

The president also said he wouls appoint a minister of electricity in the Presidency and the minister will focus full-time on working with Eskom to end load shedding.

Eskom and load shedding named Newsmaker of the Year.

Meanwhile, The National Press Club, the largest club representing journalists and communication professionals, has named Eskom and load shedding 2022 Newsmaker of the Year.

This annual award, made by the National Press Club since 1980, awards a Newsmaker in a calendar year based on the amount of media coverage received as well as the impact thereof.

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