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Candle burns during a power outage
Eskom has announced Stage 3 load shedding from 5 PM Friday evening, lasting through the weekend. The utility cites unexpected breakdowns caused by boiler tube failures at several power stations.
The power cuts follow 10 months of uninterrupted power generation.
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says although Eskom will implement load shedding it is however on the right track to reducing capacity losses.
Ramokgopa and Eskom Executives held a press briefing to provide an update on the status of South Africa’s electricity generation performance. He assures residents that Eskom is closer to no load shedding at all.
“For purposes of protecting the grid, and the integrity of the system- we need to maintain the reserve margin. As we sit here, even during the peak- we have enough to support ourselves, but we don’t have, we have depleted the reserves. We have taken a conscious decision that we are not following records – ideally, we’d want to say a year- without load shedding, we’re proceeding- but no, that can’t be at the expense of the system. Informed by prudent and judicious engineering consideration- we will initiate load shedding.”
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Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane adds that this weekend’s load shedding is a potentially temporary setback. He says load shedding is largely behind us due to the structural improvements in the generation fleet, stressing that the weekend blackout will help replenish power reserves.
LOADSHEDDING HIGH RISK ALERT STATEMENT
Eskom issues alert of high risk of loadshedding following over ten months of uninterrupted power supply – Summer Outlook remains unchanged. pic.twitter.com/K4RnsfOuTh
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) January 31, 2025
