Eskom to impose stage 5 load shedding this week – here’s the schedule

Ailing state-owned-entity Eskom has revised its load shedding schedule for the week

The parastatal said stage 4 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm on Sunday afternoon until 5am on Monday.

Thereafter, stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from 5am until 4pm on Monday, followed by stage 5 load shedding from 4pm until 5 am on Tuesday.

Breakdowns

Eskom crisis communication manager Menzi Mngomezulu said this pattern will be repeated daily until further notice.

“Eskom will publish another update as soon as any significant changes occur. Breakdowns are currently at 16 486MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3 817MW.

In the last 24 hours, a generation unit at Duvha Power Station was taken out of service due to breakdown. Furthermore, the delay in returning units to service at Arnot, Camden, Kendal, Tutuka and two generating units at Hendrina power stations continue to add to the current capacity constraints,” Mngomezulu said.

ALSO READ: ‘Stage 8 load shedding likely in winter’ – Eskom

Maintenance

Mngomezulu added that Eskom’s maintenance teams is working around the clock to ensure that generating units are returned to service as soon as possible.

“We thank those South Africans who do heed the call to use electricity sparingly and efficiently, including switching off geysers from 5pm to 9pm, in helping to alleviate the pressure on the power system and avoiding higher stages of load shedding.

Stage 8 load shedding

With Winter on its way, Eskom Acting CEO Calib Cassim warned that it was going to be a difficult cold season for South Africa with a possibility of the country hitting stage 8 load shedding.

Speaking during a media briefing, on the state of the system and its operational performance with the primary focus on the winter outlook, Cassim said Eskom has 3 000MW less power this winter than it did last winter.

“If the interventions that we have planned for the winter do not achieve the desired outcomes and your unplanned outages reaches levels of 18 000MW, then the likelihood of stage 8 load shedding during peaks is extremely high,” he said.

ALSO READ: Get your blankets out: Winter is coming as freezing temperatures hit Gauteng