Stage 2 Load Shedding Extended Through Thursday

South Africans should prepare for another round of load shedding, as Eskom has confirmed that Stage 2 will be implemented from 4 PM on Tuesday until 10 PM on Thursday, April 15.

Eskom indicated in a statement that this measure follows the delayed return of generation units, totaling 3,120 MW, along with an additional loss of 1,385 MW in the last 24 hours due to unforeseen breakdowns.

Read: SA’s electricity system continues to face severe strain

The utility explained that the primary reason for this situation is the delay in bringing several units back from scheduled maintenance. These delays, combined with an unexpected capacity loss that has temporarily exceeded 13,000 MW, are key contributing factors.

Winter Outlook

In its Winter Outlook report, the power utility assured that this winter should be without load shedding, stating that at most, there could be 21 days of outages if unplanned losses rise to 15 gigawatts.

“Eskom is currently transitioning from an intensive maintenance period, which is crucial for long-term reliability, but temporarily reduces system flexibility and resilience. As a result, the grid is more susceptible to unexpected disruptions,” the state-owned power provider elaborated.

Read: Ramokgopa distances ministry from the CoJ’s controversial prepaid electricity surcharge

The utility further noted that, despite the current hurdles, the system is significantly stronger than in previous winters. Last financial year, 96% of its generating capacity was operational, compared to just 9% the year before.

“We sincerely apologize for any disruption this may cause. Eskom remains committed to providing reliable electricity and is focused on expanding capacity. Three significant Eskom projects are set to add an extra 2,500 MW to the grid—a crucial milestone for full recovery.”

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