Dezemba vibes stay switched on: Load shedding suspended until Monday

Eskom has announced the suspension of load shedding until 5 am on Monday.

The power utility said improved generation capacity and adequate emergency reserves meant the lights would stay on during Sunday evening.

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The rolling blackouts will return at 5 am on Monday.

What about the rest of the week?

Stage 3 load shedding will continue from 5 am to 4 pm on Monday to Thursday, with Stage 4 kicking in from 4 pm.

“This is due to the normal expected increase in demand of electricity during the week and an increase in planned maintenance,” Eskom said, adding it would let the nation know of any significant changes.

Why am I always in the dark?

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa earlier said stage 3 and 4 load shedding was needed, as Eskom ramps up planned maintenance of its power stations.

Despite the slight reprieves over the last few days, the utility has kept the lights off at high levels. Stage 6 load shedding was implemented a few weeks ago, with a heatwave and maintenance among the reasons given.

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Ramokgopa said Eskom’s pump storage facilities were in good health and could keep load shedding down.

“They are in a good state and that’s why Eskom was able to announce some degree of reprieve – and we really think that if we keep to this, we shouldn’t see any degree of significant deterioration [and] we shouldn’t see an intensification of load shedding.”