Staff Reporter.
Stage 1 and 3 load shedding will be implemented until further notice in order to replenish emergency reserves, power utility Eskom said on Monday.
“Stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from 16:00 today until 05:00 on Tuesday. Thereafter, Stage 1 load shedding will be implemented from 05:00 until 16:00. This pattern will be implemented daily until further notice,” Eskom said.
Breakdowns are currently at 16,054MW of generating capacity, while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3,921MW.
Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit at Camden, Duvha, Kriel and Lethabo power stations was returned to service.
In the same period, a generating unit at Tutuka and two generating units at Kendal power stations were taken offline for repairs.
The delay in returning to service a generating unit at Kendal, Matimba and Tutuka, Power Stations is contributing to the current capacity constraints.
Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said on Sunday that as winter weather dissipates and things get warmer in the country, Eskom will be moving to increase its planned maintenance scheduling. This could result in further constraints on the grid.
However, the minister was also quick to point out that generating capacity is slowly improving, with Eskom now pushing around 29,000MW on the supply side each day.
That said, losses and outages remain a significant issue.
Eskom has been targeting unplanned outages below 15,000MW, but has not reliably been able to hit this target.
“An area that continues to be at albatross is on the partial load losses these are the units that are performing at the right levels although they are giving us the megawatts, are not at the level that is desired, which is currently sitting at 6,226 MW,” he said.