Eskom warns ‘load shedding could worsen’ as power cuts continue
Eskom has warned that, should the need arise, it will have to jump to higher stages of loadshedding, increasing the frequency of the country's power blackouts.
Homes and businesses have been slapped with stage 2 of the scheduled electricity cuts until Saturday, as the utility tries to restore generation capacity and replenish emergency reserves.
Spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha says the power system remains volatile and unpredictable.
"Despite the implementation of Stage 2 loadshedding, the events over the past two days have required extensive use of emergency generating reserves, hampering the recovery of the dam levels at the pumped storage power stations and depleting already low diesel levels.”
Since the power system remains volatile and unpredictable, higher stages of loadshedding may be required. On Saturday 6 November there was a major incident in Zambia affected the entire Southern African power pool.
“During this incident the imported power from Cahora Bassa reduced by 1 000MW while a Tutuka generator also tripped. Furthermore, a unit at Tutuka power station was forced to shut down while there were further delays in returning a unit each at Lethabo and Majuba power stations,” says Mantshantsha.
On Sunday, a unit each at Medupi and Matla power stations tripped.
