By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Eskom says planned power cuts will be reduced from stage 3 to stage 2 from 16:00 on Sunday until 16:00 on Monday following further improvement in generation capacity.
Thereafter, Stage 4 load shedding will be implemented from 16:00 on Monday until 05:00 on Tuesday, followed by Stage 2 load shedding from 05:00 until 16:00.
This pattern will be repeated daily until further notice. Eskom will publish another update should any significant changes occur.
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.
Meanwhile after being offline for 20 days, the return to service of unit 4 at the Kusile power plant on Sunday morning will ease pressure on the strained power system.
The unit generates 800 MW – almost equal to one load shedding stage – and has been out for planned maintenance.
Further generation units at the new power station were also expected to come online before year-end, which should bring more respite, said Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
However, objections to Kusile emissions could prevent the units from restarting, he added.
Over the past five days, the power system has been hit by unplanned outages, partial load losses and delays in returning units taken offline for maintenance to service.
Ramokgopa said Kusile was central to resolving load shedding in South Africa.
He added the outlook looked promising as the plant would add 3 200 MW back into the power system by the end of the year.
The 4 800 MW mega coal-fired power plant – consisting of six 800 MW generation units – remains under construction, some 10 years after it was initially meant to be completed.
Kusile units 1, 2 and 3 have been out of service for a prolonged period due to design flaws that resulted in the structural integrity of the flue-gas desulphurisation chimneys being compromised.
Kusile’s unit 3 would bring with it another 800 MW when it is back online by mid-October – about six weeks earlier than previously expected, the minister said.
Units 1 and 2 are expected to return online by the end of October and November, respectively.
Kusile unit 5 is yet to be connected to the grid.
It was initially planned for completion on 28 October 2023, but has been delayed.
Ramokgopa said the revised project plan would see the unit synchronised to the grid by the end of December.