Photo: Unsplash
Photo: Unsplash
In a weird way, you almost have to admire Eskom’s refusal to be upstaged by the severity of a global pandemic. Now, the utility is threatening that its own ‘Omicron moment’ is coming, with senior manager Deidre Herbst warning South Africa about the possibility of Stage 8 load shedding next year.
Stage 8 is the worst-case scenario: It allows for 8 000MW to be shed from the system. This is the final possible load shedding stage South Africa could withstand before a complete collapse of the energy grid takes place.
This is double the amount allocated to Stage 4. Under Stage 8 load shedding, some suburbs and towns could expect to be left in the dark for up to 12 hours per day – although this amount could vary according to municipal suppliers and allocations. South Africa has only ever reached a high of Stage 6 before, back in December 2019.
So, what has sparked this panic? The Environmental Department has rejected a request from Eskom, which would have allowed them to carry on polluting at high levels. Their failure to secure an exemption from the Minimum Air Quality criteria at Matla, Duvha, Matimba, Medupi, and Lethabo power stations could prove to be catastrophic.
According to Herbst, the directive handed down to the firm means that they would have to cut their generational capacity by ONE THIRD – essentially taking 16 000 MW off an already-battered grid. This, she says, would be enough to usher in a ‘near-constant’ spell of Stage 8 load shedding. Eish…
“If we comply, we will need to switch off with immediate effect, and that would result in Stage 8 load-shedding, continuously. The full compliance that the authorities are requesting from Eskom will cost R300 billion, and that would add at least another 10% additional on the tariff.”
Deidre Herbst