Load shedding update: Lower stages planned for this week… well, sort of

Load shedding has become the new abnormal for South Africans as Eskom struggles to keep the lights on – mostly due to multiple-generation failures of ageing coal plants.

The latest update from the embattled national power utility forecasts the implementation of load shedding at various stages until Wednesday 3 May.

Various stages of load shedding

Stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from Sunday 30 April at 16:00.

Stage 1 load shedding will then kick in from 05:00 on Monday 01 May until 16:00, with stage 3 load shedding then being introduced until 05:00 on Tuesday.

After the long weekend, stage 4 will be implemented on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

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Load shedding scheduled for the week ahead:

Sunday 30 April

• Stage 3: 16:00 to 00:00

Monday 1 May

• Stage 3: 00:00 to 05:00
• Stage 1: 05:00 to 16:00
• Stage 3: 16:00 to 00:00

Tuesday 2 May

• Stage 3: 00:00 to 05:00
• Stage 2: 05:00 to 16:00
• Stage 4: 16:00 to 00:00

Wednesday 3 May

• Stage 4: 00:00 to 05:00
• Stage 2: 05:00 to 16:00
• Stage 4: 16:00 to 00:00

Eskom ‘power update’

According to Eskom, breakdowns currently stand at 17 702MW of generating capacity, with over 3 700MW also out for planned maintenance.

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The good news is that in the last 24 hours, a unit each at Matla and Medupi power stations was brought back to service.

The not-so-good news: A generating unit each at Grootvlei and Lethabo power stations was taken offline for repairs over the same time period.

Eskom Crisis Communication Manager Menzi Mngomezulu said the delays in returning a service at Arnot, Duvha, Kriel and Lethabo power stations were exacerbating current capacity constraints.

Load shedding schedules for metros:

• City of Johannesburg
• City of Ekurhuleni
• City of Tshwane
• City of Cape Town (PDF)
• Nelson Mandela Bay
• eThekwini
• Manguang
• Buffalo City

For access to other schedules, Eskom made it available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.