Eskom to escalate load shedding to stage 4 from 2pm

Eskom has announced it will increase load shedding to Stage 4 from 2pm this afternoon until 10pm tonight.

Stage 4 load shedding on 9 June 2021

Spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha says this is due to additional breakdowns of a unit at Medupi and two units at Duvha power station, as well as the high winter demand.

“This is in order to ration the remaining emergency generation reserves which have been depleted. These emergency reserves are required to respond to further emergencies in order to maintain the stability of the national grid,” Mantshantsha said in a statement.

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Stage 2 from 10pm

“Thereafter Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented as previously communicated. Breakdowns currently total 15,087MW of capacity, while planned maintenance is 1,273MW of capacity. These capacity constraints will continue for the foreseeable future and all South Africans are urged to reduce their use of electricity.”

The power utility apologised for “inconveniencing” South Africans.

How to save electricity

Saving electricity during the colder months can be tricky. Heating appliances account for a substantial amount of the average household’s electricity usage. The risk of load shedding can be reduced by following practical guidelines for reducing consumption.

Eskom suggests hanging curtains to reduce heat loss and using foam tape to seal windows or doors in winter as draughts can account for up to 25% of heat loss.

If you have a chimney, seal it with a dampener when not in use regularly. If the chimney isn’t used at all, seal it at the top and bottom, and install fire-retardant ceiling insulation to reduce up to 40% of heat loss.

While it’s tempting to leave heaters on, the power utility suggests only heating the rooms you are occupying. In addition, gas heaters generate a great amount of heat while requiring no electricity at all.