Eskom: Load shedding likely to return due to increased demand

Eskom says there will be no load shedding this Easter weekend but it is likely to return next week.

Load shedding was suspended on Friday at 05:00, due to a lower demand expected over the weekend. It was implemented this week due to trips in four power generation units.

LOAD SHEDDING MIGHTBE IMPLEMENTED NEXT WEEK 

Eskom said the system remains fragile and load shedding is likely to come back as the demand returns. 

On Thursday Eskom had said that a unit each at the Kusile and Kendal power stations had tripped. However, the Kusile unit returned to service together with one of the previously delayed Camden power station unity. 

Eskom said it will undertake opportunity maintenance during the low demand weekend to address some risk on running units.

The national power supplier said it currently has 6 042MW on planned maintenance while another 14 471MW of capacity is unavailable due to unplanned breakdowns. 

“Any further deterioration in generation capacity may require further blackouts. We therefore request the public to use electricity sparingly, particularly over the long weekend to assist in replenishing the emergency generation reserves in anticipation of the coming week.”

ESKOM PREDICTS 100 DAYS OF DARKNESS IN WINTER

During a media briefing on Tuesday, Eskom officials also revealed that there could be ‘100 days of power cuts’ coming this winter.

Eskom System Operator, Gav Hurford explained that 100 days worth of load shedding could be compressed into shorter days.

This will depend on how severe the implemented stages are.

The technician explained that this particular forecast ‘was only an extreme’ forecast, and served as their ‘very worst case scenario’ for winter.

However, the mild predictions weren’t exactly comforting either. CEO Andre de Ruyter mused that ’61 days of load shedding’ are possible during June, July, and August.

ALSO READ: ‘100 days of darkness’: Eskom predicts BLEAK winter load shedding schedule