By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
State owned power utility Eskom has released the schedule for the week, saying it will suspend daytime load shedding, with Stage 3 load shedding to be implemented at 16:00.
Due to consistent available generation capacity, load shedding will continue to be suspended from midnight until 16:00, and Stage 3 load shedding will remain in force from 16:00 until midnight, said Eskom.
This pattern will be repeated daily until further notice. Eskom will publish another update should any significant changes occur.
On Friday (30 June), Eskom said a generation unit each at Camden, Kendal, as well as two generation units at Matla power stations, were taken out of service due to breakdowns.
“The delay in returning to service a generating unit at Tutuka Power Station is contributing to the current capacity constraints.
“Eskom teams are working around the clock to return generating units to service over the next few days,” it said.
The last three weeks of load shedding suspensions during the day have significantly impacted South Africa’s load shedding trendline, which is slowly starting to filter through to more positive longer-term trend data.
However, while South Africans are breathing a sigh of relief and enjoying the reprieve from full-day load shedding, energy experts have warned against complacency, noting that load shedding remains in full effect.
The government and Eskom have urged South Africans at large to use power sparingly.
For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.
Smartphone users can also download the app EskomSePush to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, as well as the times the area you are in will be off.