Load shedding for the week: Here’s what to expect

Eskom said load shedding will continue at stage 3 and stage 1 until further notice.

“Stage 3 load shedding will resume at 16:00 today (Sunday) until 05:00 on Monday. Thereafter, Stage 1 load shedding will be implemented until 16:00, followed by Stage 3 until 05:00 on Tuesday.

This pattern will be implemented daily until further notice. Eskom will publish another update should any significant changes occur,” Menzi Mngomezulu, Eskom Crisis Communication Manager said.

Eskom suspended load shedding briefly over the weekend due to a lower weekend demand.

Load shedding  

On Sunday, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the intensity of the deliberate power cuts was coming down.

Ramokgopa was providing an update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan (EAP) on Sunday as the country continues to battle rampant rolling blackouts.

ALSO READ: ‘Intensity of load shedding coming down’ – Ramokgopa

Ramokgopa said the country is making progress in mitigating the deliberate power cuts.

“We have responded to the intensity of load shedding, it’s coming down. The number of days we’ve experienced load shedding is exceptionally high and we are on course for a record number of those days.

“But these briefings are really important to show you what the trend line is and we are confident we’ll get out of a very difficult situation… We remain confident in our ability to resolve the load-shedding question,” Ramokgopa said.

Tutuka

Ramokgopa also said he is confident two units at “perennial underperformer” Tutuka power station will come back onstream in September.

He said the return of these units would add 2 500 MW to the national grid, leading to a relief of at least two stages of the rolling blackouts.

“Tutuka has been a perennial underperformer in recent years, historically its Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has moved from 98% to 21%. This is a big power station in that you have six installed units that should be generating about 3 500 MW but all we are getting is 21% of that.

“We have deployed additional resources stationed at Tutuka on Friday just to have a sense from the management of where they are. There is a plan to return a number of units into service. “We are trying to understand the reasons [for Tutuka’s underperformance],” Ramokgopa said.

Last week, Ramokgopa urged South Africa not to start celebrating a return to normality after the signing of the memorandum of cooperation between the government and eight Chinese energy entities.

ALSO READ: Too early to celebrate end of load shedding – Ramokgopa