Eskom load shedding

Image: Flickr

Stage 3 load shedding from Wednesday: Check this week’s schedule

Eskom anticipates it will be implementing lower stages of load shedding later this week as some units return to service

Eskom load shedding

Image: Flickr

As anticipated, South Africans will have to put up with more rolling blackouts this week as Eskom has announced that stage 3 load shedding will be implemented on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Between 16:00 and 00:00 on both days loadshedding will be implemented at Stage 4. Eskom anticipates lower stages of loadshedding to be implemented through the weekend as some units return to service,” said Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha in a statement on Tuesday, 12 July 2022.

Mantshantsha adds that Eskom will communicate and implement any significant changes to the current situation. It isn’t all doom and gloom as from Friday, load shedding will be reduced to between stage 2 and stage 3 at various times of the day until Sunday.

The embattled power utility has been forced to enforce various stages of load shedding, something it had initially attributed to a workers’ strike at its power stations.

MORE LOAD SHEDDING EXPECTED THIS WEEK

Several units at Eskom’s Arnot, Camden and Kusile power stations either tripped or were taken offline for repairs, which essentially explains the implementation of load shedding this week.

“A unit each at Arnot, Camden and Kusile power stations tripped or were taken offline for repairs since last night, while a unit each at Kusile and Kendal power stations were returned to service,” Mantshantsha said.

According to Eskom, there are currently 3 934MW on planned maintenance, while another 14 867MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns.

“As the generation capacity shortages persist over the next few weeks, loadshedding will continue to be implemented at various stages. Eskom cautions the public that it will still take a few weeks for the power generation system to recover,” Mantshantsha said.

Here is the load shedding schedule for the week, along with Eskom’s statement.