Ramokgopa in dark about Eskom implementing stage 8 load shedding

Following reports that Eskom had plunged the country into stage 8 load shedding last week without informing the nation, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has said he was not aware of this being done.

“I have noted some reportage that suggests that we are already at stage 8 [load shedding]. I want to say that such information is not sitting with me,” said Ramokgopa.

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The minister made the remarks to the media on Monday, on the sidelines of his meeting with officials of the ANC‘s national working committee (NWC) in Polokwane, Limpopo, on interventions government is taking to mitigate the crippling power cuts ahead of this winter season.

Stage 8 load shedding

At the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that Eskom “silently” implemented stage 8 load shedding without informing the nation, amid concerns that the situation could get worse in winter.  

Ramokgopa said as far as he was concerned, Eskom continued to implement stage 6 power cuts until further notice.

He said he and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan met last week with Eskom’s board and received a representation on the power utility’s winter action plan.

Ramokgopa said Eskom informed them that the country should expect higher stages of load shedding this winter.

“I’ve been engaging with Eskom and we’ve had a discussion with the board… early last week with regards to what we call the winter plan because we are anticipating that the demand [for electricity] is going to rise significantly…

“From Eskom’s winter plan, what was presented before us, we’re still now at stage 6,” said Ramokgopa.

Deterioration of national grid

Ramokgopa said since his appointment in March, he had committed himself to be honest with South Africans on the country’s energy crisis, saying this had not changed.

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The minister said should there be “any degree of deterioration” of the national grid, he would communicate this directly with citizens.

“I did indicate at the onset of my responsibilities that I’m going to be very open, transparent, and totally open with the South African public, and I’ll take every opportunity to share with the public the kind of progress that we are making in resolving both the intensity and regularity of load shedding,” he said.

“And also, the national working committee has seen it fit that it must elevate the conversation around the energy crisis in the country to be a subject of discussion in the NWC.”

Meeting with Eskom management

Ramokgopa added that he would engage with Eskom’s management on Monday evening to get an update on the performance of the grid.

“We know that there have been major units that have failed, and I’m referring here to Koeberg … And it’s important that we’re able to have an appreciation of what brought us to where we are now at stage 6.

“In addition to the elevated demand, I think the issues around generation have been a major problem.”

Meanwhile, the country continues to remain at stage 6 load shedding indefinitely, according to Eskom.

In its last update late on Sunday evening, the struggling utility said unit 2 at Koeberg nuclear power station, which tripped in the early hours of Saturday morning, was “synchronised and on load”.

Eskom said the elevated stages of load shedding were precipitated by delays in returning a unit to service at Kendal, Kriel, Medupi and Tutuka power stations.

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