Eskom has announced that it will impose stage 5 and 6 load shedding from Tuesday.
The state-owned entity’s spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said stage 5 load shedding will be implemented from 12pm on Tuesday afternoon until 9pm at night.
“Thereafter, stage 6 load shedding will be implemented until 5am tomorrow morning. Stage 5 load shedding will then be implemented continuously from 5am on Wednesday until further notice.”
Breakdowns
Mantshantsha said Eskom will publish a further update as soon as any significant changes occur.
“In the last 24 hours, six generating units have suffered breakdowns, of which a unit each at Duvha and Hendrina have not yet returned to service. In addition, a generating unit each at Matla and Arnot had been returned to service. There is a delay in returning a generating unit each at Duvha, Kendal, Grootvlei, and Kriel power stations.”
“Planned maintenance is 4 654MW while breakdowns currently amount to 18 123MW of generating capacity,” Mantshantsha said.
Mantshantsha has urged South Africans to continue assisting by reducing the usage and to sparingly use electricity.
ALSO READ: ‘Declaring Eskom crisis a national state of disaster will reduce load shedding’ – DA
Eskom crisis
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliances (DA) shadow minister for energy Kevin Mileham told The Citizen, declaring the Eskom crisis a national state of disaster would open up funding for the failing utility to reduce load shedding by up to two stages in the short-term.
Households and businesses are suffering under the devastating impact of the blackouts with angry and frustrated South Africans calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to find a solution to the crisis.
During the closing remarks of the ANC NEC lekgotla on Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said imposing a national state of disaster, similar to the conditions imposed on South Africans during the Covid-19, would form part of discussions during Wednesday’s Cabinet Lekgotla.
“It was observed that it would be necessary to have a national state of disaster, because that would enable us to have the instruments that would be necessary to fully address the challenge that our nation faces.”
National state of disaster
Mileham said the national state of disaster plan will release much needed funding for Eskom.
“It does release disaster management funding and Eskom has indicated that they are short of diesel funding for the next two months, effectively February and March to reduce load shedding for up to two stages if they have that funding,” Mileham said.
ALSO READ: 25 people arrested for sabotage, theft and fraud at Eskom
