Stage 2 load shedding returns
Eskom has announced it will be implementing stage two load shedding on Thursday, with the possibility of it being escalating to stage 3.
Scheduled power cuts will begin at 8am and continue until 22:00 Thursday night.
Spokesperson for the power utility, Sikonathi Mantshantsha, says the load shedding can be attributed to an “increase in generation unit breakdowns’’.
READ: De Ruyter confident Eskom can recoup some of looted R3.8bn
“There is a high possibility that Stage 2 loadshedding may be escalated to Stage 3 for the evening peak.
“This loadshedding has been caused by an increase in plant breakdowns during the night and early hours of the morning.”
Mantshantsha says there’s also been a “delay” in the return to service of two units at Duvha and Tutuka plants and additional breakdowns of four units at Kriel, Tutuka and Kendall.
READ: Eskom power system under severe pressure
“These units removed more than 2 000MW of capacity from the system. Eskom is working hard to return as many of these generation units to service.”
“The generating plant continues to perform at low levels of reliability, any unexpected shift such as an increase in unplanned breakdowns could result in a change in the loadshedding stage at short notice,” adds Mantshantsha.
The power utility has also added that there’s a high possibility that load shedding will persist throughout the weekend.
Consumers have been advised to use electricity sparingly.
View KwaZulu-Natal's load shedding schedules here.
