Eskom hits SA with stage 5 and 6 load shedding from Tuesday – Here’s your schedule

Eskom is ramping load shedding to stage 5 and 6 despite Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa saying the power cuts is unlikely to hit higher stages this week.

“Due to the loss of four generating units, the need to replenish the emergency generation reserves and increased planned maintenance as previously communicated, load shedding will continue to be implemented at stage 5 until 4pm today,” Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said.  

“Thereafter, Stage 6 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm until 5am on Wednesday. This pattern of implementing Stage 5 load shedding from 5am to 4pm – and Stage 6 load shedding from 4pm until 5am – will be repeated daily until Friday morning”.

“Eskom will publish another update should any significant changes occur,” Mokwena said.

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Breakdowns

Mokwena said breakdowns are currently at 16 784MW of generating capacity while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 4 987MW.

“Over a period of 24 hours, a generation unit each at Camden, Duvha and Kendal was returned to service.

“In the same period, a generating unit each at Duvha, Grootvlei, Kendal and Matla power stations was taken offline for repairs.

“The delay in returning to service a generating unit each at Hendrina, Kendal, Matimba and Matla Tutuka power stations is also contributing to the current capacity constraints,” she added.

Low stages

On Sunday, during his weekly energy action plan (EAP) update Ramokgopa said the power cuts would remain at low stages.

“We ramped up planned maintenance, we were reaching approximately 6 000 megawatts… we then removed an additional 3 500 megawatts from the grid, and this is us controlling that exercise because it’s planned, we are able to execute at the rate that we think is desirable.”

Maintenance

SA has been fighting higher stages of load shedding recently after Eskom doubled down on its maintenance efforts.

Speaking after the country was thrown into stage 6, Ramokgopa said the power utility would “stick to its planned maintenance schedule”.

“We do accept that in the short-term it’s going to result in the possibility of intensified load shedding.

“What’s because ramped-up planned and philosophical maintenance is accompanied by an unplanned capacity loss factor,” said Ramokgopa.

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