The power utility said in a tweet that the move is due to lower demand in the country. Photo: Pixabay
Eskom ramps up load shedding to Stage 5 – Here’s the schedule
Eskom says it will ramp up load shedding to Stage 5 at 16:00 on Sunday, 3 September. Here’s the updated schedule below.
The power utility said in a tweet that the move is due to lower demand in the country. Photo: Pixabay
Eskom says it will implement Stage 5 load shedding at 16:00 on Sunday, 3 September.
Stage 5 will be in place until 05:00 on Monday, 4 September, thereafter, Stage 4 will be implemented. The pattern will be repeated until further notice.
ESKOM RAMPS UP LOAD SHEDDING
The power utility said due to the necessary increase in generation planned maintenance from an average of 3000 MW in June to an average 6000 MW in September.
“The increase in the stages of load shedding is necessary to recover emergency generation reserves,” Eskom said.
FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE MAJOR METROS, LOAD SHEDDING SCHEDULES ARE AVAILABLE BELOW:
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Ekurhuleni
- City of Tshwane
- City of Cape Town (PDF)
- Nelson Mandela Bay
- eThekwini
- Manguang
- Buffalo City
To view the Load Shedding Schedule for your area, please click here.
SIX TIPS TO MITIGATE AGAINST RISKS CAUSED BY ROLLING BLACKOUTS:
- Make use of surge protection: Electric surges are one of the biggest causes of damage to equipment during a power outage. Installing a surge protection device can help minimise some damage in unforeseen situations. Have a surge protection device fitted to your electrical distribution board or at the power outlet to the electronic device.
- Ensure that your alarm system is working and the backup battery is fully functional to provide power to the system in the event of load shedding.
- Spare torch or headlamp: Keep a torch in your car if you arrive home at night during a power outage. Most smartphones have built-in torch or torch apps, which come in handy during unexpected power outages.
- Emergency contact information: Save emergency contact information on your phone, but also keep a paper copy safe and accessible. This should include contacts for emergency services such as the fire department, police, and/or medical services. Also include the contact information of friends and/or family along with insurance information.
- Charge your cell phone, laptop, and tablet: Ensure your cellphone, laptop, and tablet devices are fully charged ahead of scheduled blackouts. Be sure to charge them again as soon as possible after the power returns. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency phone charger (like a power bank) close by. This comes in handy during extended power outages.
- Gas for cooking and lighting: Get a small LP gas bottle and lamp. It gives good quality lighting for a large area and can also be used for cooking and boiling water. It’s a good idea to keep hot water in a thermal flask so that you can make hot drinks. Also, consider preparing meals beforehand if you know when there’s going to be a scheduled blackout.
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