JUST IN: Load shedding to be suspended from 5am on Wednesday

Eskom said load shedding will be suspended from 5 a.m. on Wednesday.

The parastatal gradually reduced the rolling blackouts after ramping up load shedding from stage 3 to stage 6 during the very early hours of Sunday morning.

Load shedding suspended

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said they have managed to replenish generation capacity.

“Eskom is pleased to announce that load shedding will be suspended from 5:00 am on Wednesday, 26 February 2025.

“This decision follows the successful recovery of generation capacity and significant progress in replenishing emergency reserves. Although overnight replenishment is still needed, these developments will result in a stable power system,” Mokwena said.

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Summer

Mokwena added that ongoing planned maintenance stands at 6 660MW, which is in alignment with the utility’s summer-period maintenance strategy.

“This increased level of maintenance is necessary to prepare for winter to further improve reliability and meet license and regulatory requirements.

“Eskom will communicate on Friday, 28 February 2025, or as soon as any significant changes occur,” Mokwena said.

Tariff hike

On Monday, Eskom CEO Dan Marokane dismissed claims that the utility implemented stage 6 load shedding because it failed to get the requested electricity tariff hike from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).

In August, the parastatal submitted an application to Nersa for a proposed 36.15% hike during its 2026 financial year, 11.81% in 2027 and 9.10% in 2028.

However, in January, Nersa only approved a 12.7% electricity tariff increase for Eskom.

On Monday, Eskom CEO Dan Marokane said load shedding should be suspended by the weekend.

“We’ve made tremendous progress since Saturday night. We had brought eight of the 10 units back. Now, we are building up stock on the fuel for the open-cycle gas turbines. We have some more units coming back,” Marokane said.