An illuminated signboard on display outside the Eskom Regional Office in Braamfontein, Johannesburg during load-shedding (rolling blackout) on 31 January, 2023. (Photo by – / AFP)
SA has had more load shedding so far than the whole year of 2022
Load shedding for 2023 could be four times that of 2022 based on the current trends. Eskom is currently implementing Stage 6.
An illuminated signboard on display outside the Eskom Regional Office in Braamfontein, Johannesburg during load-shedding (rolling blackout) on 31 January, 2023. (Photo by – / AFP)
Although the total hours for load shedding in 2023 have not surpassed those of 2022, Eskom has confirmed that the demand of electricity not met has exceeded that of 2023.
Eskom is currently implementing Stage 1 and 4 load shedding alternatively. Based on the hours some people have been without electricity in a day recently, there were claims that the power utility was implementing a stage which is higher than 6.
MZANIS EXPERIENCES MORE LOAD SHEDDING IN 2023
A graph from the app Load Shedding Notifier which showed that the amount of load shedding, measured in gigawatt hours, would surpass that of 2022 sometime this week has been circulating on Twitter.
“Yes, the demand not supplied due to load shedding in calendar year 2023 up to midnight of 7 May 2023 exceeded the demand not supplied in the calendar year of 2022,” Eskom said, as per News24.
As to whether new records of rolling blackouts have been broken, Eskom said that if blackouts are measured as a percentage of demand being reduced, then 2023 has recorded the highest values to date. In terms of hours, the country has not yet exceeded the hours of rolling blackouts clocked in 2022, the publication further said.
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SANDF DEPLOYED TO ESKOM POWER STATIONS
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the deployment of soldiers at Eskom Power Stations until October 2023.
In a letter to the National Assembly speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson Amos Masondo the President says he has authorised the employment of 880 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to safeguard a number of Eskom power stations around the country.
The employment is from 17 April 2023 to 17 October 2023. The expenditure expected for this employment is over R146 million.
“Members of the SANDF employed will assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) in protecting Eskom power stations around the country where sabotage, theft and other crimes may threaten the functioning of power stations and the supply of electricity. The current employment is authorised in accordance with the provisions of Section 201(2) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996,” said Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to the president.
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