Stage 4 load shedding or worse could hit us as early as this week – expert

Mining and energy advisor Ted Blom on Tuesday, 1 June said he was “expecting increased load shedding probability as from Wednesday evening”.

Eskom announced the implementation of Stage 2 cuts on 31 May 2021.

I am expecting increased load shedding probability as from Wednesday evening, on 2nd June 2021. This will be at level 4 [Stage 4] or above.

Load shedding update

Higher electrical demand

Eskom on 31 May 2021 announced the implementation of  Stage 2 load shedding from 4 pm on Monday until 5 am on Tuesday due to higher demand “as a result of the cold front setting in much earlier than expected, as well as high breakdowns of generation units”.

The generation supply constraints will persist throughout the high winter demand period, which increases the likelihood of load shedding.

Eskom also called on the public to reduce their electricity consumption “to get through these capacity constraints”.

Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha also warned of more power cuts throughout winter due to generation supply constraints. As of 31 May 2021, total electricity demand was 33,278MW.

How to save electricity

Saving electricity during the colder months can be tricky. Heating appliances account for a substantial amount of the average household’s electricity usage. The risk of load shedding can be reduced by following practical guidelines for reducing consumption.

Eskom suggests hanging curtains to reduce heat loss and using foam tape to seal windows or doors in winter as draughts can account for up to 25% of heat loss.

If you have a chimney, seal it with a dampener when not in use regularly. If the chimney isn’t used at all, seal it at the top and bottom, and install fire-retardant ceiling insulation to reduce up to 40% of heat loss.

While it’s tempting to leave heaters on, the power utility suggests only heating the rooms you are occupying. In addition, gas heaters generate a great amount of heat while requiring no electricity at all.