Shallcross electricity

Shallcross residents will have to wait at least 48 hours for power to be restored. Image via: Adobe Stock

Just in: Stage 2 load shedding for Friday, as ‘coal shortage’ cripples Eskom

According to Eskom officials, a ‘lack of coal’ at Kendal Power Station is partly to blame for Stage 2 load shedding returning on Friday.

Shallcross electricity

Shallcross residents will have to wait at least 48 hours for power to be restored. Image via: Adobe Stock

Are you actually having a laugh, Eskom? South Africans will be hit by load shedding for the second time this week, as Stage 2 power cuts return on Friday. What is more, the utility says that the blackouts will ‘escalate into the weekend’.

‘No coal at Kendal’ forces load shedding on Friday

The scarcely-believable reason behind this latest phase of load shedding goes beyond a few generational units tripping. In a hasty statement posted on Twitter, Eskom explained that ‘a lack of coal’ at Kendal has exacerbated their struggles, and a power fault on their conveyor belts is largely to blame for Stage 2 outages.

“Three Kendal units were taken off and it is anticipated that the fourth and remaining unit will also be shut down. The conveyor belts supplying these units are not running due to a power fault. No coal is reaching the station at this point.”

Eskom

Stage 2: How long will load shedding be in place for?

Load shedding will begin again from 11:00 on Friday 5 November, and no end time has been announced by the firm yet. Issues at Lethabo, Majuba, and Tutuka are also contributing to the plethora of difficulties.

Eskom, coal, and a bleak few days ahead…

So, while we brace for ‘indefinite load shedding’, Eskom says it is still trying to understand the scale of this latest setback. Millions of us can expect to be plunged into darkness on Saturday and Sunday too, and there’s a possibility that we will still be experiencing power cuts by the start of next week – and Eskom really doesn’t do things by halves.

“We, unfortunately, do expect the load shedding stage to escalate into the weekend but this can only be confirmed once we have a better understanding of these problems and when it is likely to be resolved.”

Eskom