Cape Town residents once AGAIN spared from Stage 2 load shedding

The City of Cape Town has found a way to spare its residents from Stage 2 load shedding and load shedding in general and Tuesday 18 May is no different. Capetonians, do you know the drill? After all, this has happened before.

ESKOM SUSPENDS POWER CUTS BUT NOT FOR LONG 

Eskom announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning that it would suspend load shedding but only up until 17:00. It said that Stage 2 power cuts would resume between 17:00 and 22:00. 

“Over the past 24 hours, Eskom teams have returned seven generation units to service. This has helped ease the supply constraints, and enabled Eskom to suspend load shedding at this point,” said spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha.

“However, this is currently insufficient to fully supply the evening peak. Stage 2 load shedding will therefore again be implemented from 17:00 until 22:00 tonight,” he added. 

CAPE TOWN AVOIDS STAGE 2 LOAD SHEDDING ON TUESDAY 18 MAY 

So while the rest of Mzansi will endure Stage 2 load shedding between 17:00 and 22:00 on Tuesday, Cape Town residents will prepare for Stage 1 load shedding between 17:00 and 22:00. The City of Cape Town most definitely had other plans and pulled quite a heavy swerve which it calls “protecting its customers”. 

So for those that don’t quite understand why Cape Town residents are sometimes spared from load shedding or brought down to a lower level compared to the rest of Mzansi, we have an answer for you. 

The City says that it is able to protect its customers or residents with the help of the City’s Steenbras Pumped Storage Plant. 

“The City of Cape Town is able to generate additional capacity to protect customers from one stage of Eskom load shedding where we are able to do so. Cape Town is the only city in South Africa that can provide this extra relief to our residents,” it said. 

STEENBRAS PUMPED STORAGE PLANT: HOW IT WORKS 

Well, first electricity that is generated during off-peak periods pumps water ot an upper-storage reservoir. The down-flowing water is then used to power a generator. 

Small hydro-generators like the one at the Steenbrs Dam mean that the City of Cape Town can sometimes avoid load shedding or remain at a lower stage. Hence why Cape Town residents will stay on Stage 1 load shedding while the rest of the country will stay at Stage 2 load shedding. 

Mother City residents can check their schedule here.

ALSO READ: Tuesday’s load shedding schedules for Gauteng, Cape Town and Durban – 18 May