Interpreting Eskom load-shedding stages
Three schedules have now been developed based on the possibility of risk and to ensure that it is applied in a fair and equitable manner:
Three schedules have now been developed based on the possibility of risk and to ensure that it is applied in a fair and equitable manner:
- Stage 1 allows for up to 1000 MW of the national load to be shed.
- Stage 2 allows for up to 2000 MW of the national load to be shed.
- Stage 3 allows for up to 4000 MW of the national load to be shed.
- Load shedding will be implemented in most instances in 2 hour blocks (with an additional 30 minutes for switching between blocks) during the period 05:00 to 21:30. You therefore may be without electricity for 2,5 hours
- Stage 1 requires the least amount of load shedding
- Once for two hours in a two day period (ie. you will either be on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday schedule)
This stage is scheduled within the main load shedding period which is Mondays to Saturdays between 05:00 and 21:30.
Each of the time periods has an additional 30 minutes added to allow for switching of networks in a way that will not damage the Eskom power system.
Eskom will begin load shedding customers at the start of the period (for example from 05:00), and will have all scheduled customers switched off within the first half hour (that is, by 05:30).
At the end of the period, after the two hours (that is, by 07:00), Eskom will start returning power to customers and should have them all back within half an hour (that is, by 07:30).
- Stage 2 will double the frequency of Stage 1, which means you will be scheduled for load shedding every day, Monday to Saturday, between 05:00 and 21:30
- Stage 3 will double the frequency of Stage 2, as well as covering the overnight period from 21:30 to 05:30, not covered by the other 2 stages. This means you should be scheduled 3 times a day, midnight to midnight, Monday to Sunday.
If more load needs to be shed than has been scheduled in Stages 1, 2 and 3, then National Control will instruct additional, unscheduled load shedding. This means you may be shed outside of your scheduled times.
via Eskom
