Eskom upbeat about ‘positive’ system outlook

Eskom said on Thursday that the system “is looking much better today”, due to units previously plagued by unplanned outages due to coal handling problems have begun pumping power into the grid.

“While the overall system remains constrained, we do not anticipate load shedding today,” the power utility said.

It added that emergency resources were also in place.

Unplanned breakdowns are at 11,673MW as of 6am, slightly closer to Eskom’s goal of keeping unplanned outages below 9,500MW.

The power utility also said that its planned summer maintenance at two large units at Hendrina and Lethabo is on schedule, and assured that the units’ absence will not destabilise the system.

Consumers are once again urged to use electricity sparingly by switching off geysers over peak periods, setting swimming pool pump cycles to run twice a day and three hours at a time, and to switch off electronics not being used.

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