Weekend load shedding: Suspended from 5am on Saturday until 4pm

Eskom has announced that load shedding will be suspended from 5am on Saturday until 4pm, followed by Stage 1 load shedding until 5am on Sunday.

This comes after it was previously announced that Stage 3 load shedding would be implemented from 4pm on Friday until 5am on Saturday. 

The power utility said the load shedding pattern implemented on Saturday will be repeated on Sunday.

“This is as a result of the anticipated lower weekend demand,” Eskom said.

Eskom added that it will provide an update for next week on Sunday afternoon and will communicate should the need arise.

ALSO READ: Load shedding: SA to move to Stage 3 in the evenings

“A total of 3 100MW of generating capacity is planned to be returned by Monday. The evening peak forecast for tonight is 25 848MW. Unplanned outages are at 14 144MW and planned maintenance is at 7 674MW of generation capacity,” the power utility added.

Greater stability at Eskom – Ramokgopa

This comes after Minister of Electricity Kgosietsho Ramokgopa said there is a greater level of stability at Eskom since the release of the VGBE report and the appointment of new Eskom CEO Dan Marokane on Monday.

The National Treasury appointed the VGBE consortium to assess Eskom’s operations at its coal-fired power stations from March to May 2023.

“There is greater levels of stability at Eskom now that we have a more permanent appointment at apex level in the form of the CEO Dan Marokane… essentially trying to ensure that there is a consolidation first of these reports, their findings, and recommendations.”

ALSO READ: Eskom dismisses warning of grid crisis, says VGBe’s report contains ‘some inaccuracies’

“They are working on the more structured way of how best to respond to some of those issues. I must emphasise that already there is work that is being done in relation to responding to some of those issues, and we are looking forward to a more structured approach on how we are responding to these issues,” Ramokgopa said.

Additional reporting by: Faizel Patel