No reprieve from Eskom as full-day load shedding continues

Eskom has warned there will be no reprieve from load shedding with the deliberate power cuts to set to continue for the entire week.

In order to replenish emergency reserves, the parastatal imposed stage 3 power cuts from 4pm on Monday until 5am on Tuesday.

Thereafter, Stage 1 load shedding will be implemented from 5am until 4pm.

Breakdowns

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said this pattern will be implemented daily until further notice.

“Breakdowns are currently at 16 054MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3 921MW. Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit at Camden, Duvha, Kriel and Lethabo power stations was returned to service.

“In the same period, a generating unit at Tutuka and two generating units at Kendal power stations were taken offline for repairs. The delay in returning to service a generating unit at Kendal, Matimba and Tutuka, Power Stations is contributing to the current capacity constraints,” Mokwena said.

Mokwena said Eskom’s teams are working around the clock to return the units to service.

“We appeal to the members of the public to continue reducing demand by switching off non-essential appliances and to use electricity sparingly and efficiently, including switching off geysers and pool pumps from 17:00 to 21:00, as this lowers demand and helps in alleviating the pressure on the power system and contributes to lower stages of load shedding.”

Mokwena added Eskom will publish another update should any significant changes occur.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Eskom losing thousands of megawatts due to lack of maintenance

Thousands of megawatts lost

On Sunday, during a media briefing on the on the Energy Action Plan (EAP) Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said Eskom was losing hundreds of thousands of megawatts of electricity due to a lack of consistent maintenance at some of its power stations.

The minister said the historical lack of maintenance of electricity infrastructure resulted in the underperformance of some power stations which could be adding capacity to the electricity grid.

ALSO READ: ‘Load shedding an unwelcome occurrence, all of us suffering’ – Ramokgopa