Eskom implements stage 2 load shedding after Majuba and Medupi breakdowns

Eskom issued a stage 2 load shedding power alert on Monday, following the breakdown of generation units at Majuba and Medupi power stations.

Stage 2 load shedding

The embattled power utility will be implementing stage 2 load shedding from 5pm until 10pm on Monday, 30 May 2022.

Eskom said three generation units “are expected to return to service by this evening, which will ramp up through the night”.

“We currently have 2,246MW on planned maintenance, while another 15,847MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns.”

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‘Elevated risk’

In the meantime, the power utility calls on South Africans to reduce the usage of electricity by switching off all non-essential items.

Eskom said there is an “elevated risk of load shedding over the coming weeks”.

“We, therefore, urge all South Africans to continue using electricity sparingly, especially between 5am and 9am in the mornings, and between 4pm and 10pm in the evenings”.

‘Never said we’ll eliminate load shedding’

In October 2021, Eskom’s generation business – under the helm of Eskom’s chief operating officer (COO) Jan Oberholzer said vowed to increase planned maintenance to improve generation capacity.

At the time, Oberholzer blamed the state of affairs on an “unreliable system”, as well as time lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reliability maintenance plan was meant to be implemented in 2020

“Initially we believe 18 months of reliability maintenance will take to a situation where we can minimise and reduce the risk. We never said we will eliminate load shedding“, Oberholzer added.