By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Stage 6 load shedding will be implemented from 20:00 on Saturday to 05:00 on Sunday, after which stage 4 load shedding will continue until further notice, Eskom said.
This is to “create space to replenish the emergency generation reserves,” the power utility’s spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said.
There is still the possibility that Stage 6 load shedding might again be implemented during Sunday night, Mantshantsha added.
South Africans have experienced load shedding everyday of 2023 so far, and rolling blackouts have been implemented on a near permanent basis since September 2022.
Not only has 2023 played host to one of the longest load shedding streaks on record, it has also seen the highest number of days in stage 6 load shedding, with the country experiencing five consecutive days of high level load shedding in January.
Analysts have warned that South Africa is likely to experience more stage 6 and possibly even stage 7 and stage 8 load shedding as the country heads into the winter months.
While Eskom is confident it will be able to avoid high level load shedding – and outgoing CEO Andre de Ruyter has indicated that some more capacity will return by the end of March – the group’s inablilty to keep breakdowns at bay has cast serious doubt on whether this will be achieved.
Koeberg Unit 1, which provides around 1,000MW of power, will remain out of service until the middle of the year, and breakdowns at Kusile and Medupi power stations totalling 3,000MW are likely to be offline until 2024 at the very least.
Meanwhile, Eskom keeps experiencing breakdowns that frequently stretch over 16,000MW – the group’s ‘worst-case’ scenario in its longer-term outlook for load shedding.
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the ongoing load shedding crisis a state of disaster, and is appointing a new minister of energy to focus on the crisis. Both of these plans have been met with backlash, while analysts, economists and investors remain unconvinced it will make any difference.
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.