Eskom has announced that it will implement stage 1 and 2 load-shedding on Monday and Tuesday.
The power utility reduced load-shedding to stage 1 at 12:00 on Sunday 6 September and plans to implement stage 1 and stage 2 load-shedding between 08:00 and 22:00 over the next two days.
“Starting at midday today, Eskom reduced load-shedding to stage 1, which will last until 22:00 tonight,” Eskom said.
“Tomorrow stage 1 load-shedding will resume at 08:00 and last until 16:00. Tomorrow, stage 1 load-shedding will resume at 08:00 and last until 16:00. It will them escalate to stage 2 until 22:00.”
“This pattern will repeat on Tuesday, with a high likelihood for Wednesday as well,” the power utility said.
Eskom said it would continue to communicate timeously should there be any changes, as the system remains unreliable and vulnerable.
It added that load-shedding was necessary this weekend in order to replenish the emergency generation reserves, which were depleted over the past week.
“Eskom expects several generation units to return to service during the next few days which will help to ease the supply constraints,” Eskom said.
Unplanned breakdowns amount to 9,272MW of capacity, adding to the 6,134MW currently out on planned maintenance.
“Eskom teams are working around the clock to return as many of these generation units to service as possible,” it said.
“We urge the people of South Africa to help reduce electricity usage in order to assist Eskom to reduce the instance of load-shedding,” said Eskom.
Eskom to implement Stage 1 loadshedding from 08:00 until 16:00 tomorrow, thereafter Stage 2
until 22:00 pic.twitter.com/XksNi1ZSPF— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) September 6, 2020