Just when you thought things couldn’t get more challenging, escalating power outages sneak up to ruin our weekend.
Due to several breakdowns at 10 power stations, Eskom is forced to up the load shedding stage
Stage 5 load shedding
Starting today, Stage 5 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm until 5am on Monday.
But the light at the end of the tunnel still seems distant as the load shedding pattern will likely persist daily for an unforeseeable future.
Load shedding schedule for the week
And it’s going to be a rollercoaster ride this week as well.
Stage 4 load shedding will be implemented from 5am to 4pm on Monday, after which Stage 5 load shedding will shroud the evening hours until 5 am the following day.
This rhythm is set to continue until further notice, according to Eskom, the country’s primary electricity supplier.
But why, I hear you ask?
11 units offline
On Sunday, Eskom confirmed that two generating units were taken offline, and nine units failed to return to service.
Generation units at Matla and Tutuka power stations have suffered breakdowns while further delays resulted in the service of units at:
- Arnot: one unit offline
- Hendrina: one unit offline
- Kendal: one unit offline
- Kriel: one unit offline
- Lethabo: one unit offline
- Matimba: one unit offline
- Tutuka: one unit offline
- Camden: two units offline
That means a total of 11 generating units are currently out of service, and Eskom is grappling with 18 144 MW lost of breakdows.
Another 3 427 MW is out of commission for planned maintenance.
Four units restored
But every cloud has a silver lining, I guess?
Eskom said over the past 24 hours, it successfully reactivated a generation unit at each of the Arnot, Camden, Kendal, and Palmiet power stations.
Eskom said technicians are attending to breakdowns and updates will be shared on official channels if the situation changes.
