Brace for more loadshedding this week, warns Eskom

By Kaya959 News

South Africans are urged to brace for more loadshedding for the rest of the week.

Eskom announced that the likelihood of loadshedding is high for the rest of the week as the power system remains constrained and vulnerable.

“Eskom will communicate promptly should there be any changes. These capacity constraints will continue for the foreseeable future and all South Africans are urged to reduce their use of electricity, particularly between 5pm and 10pm, when the winter demand is the highest,” Eskom said.

Eskom implemented Stage 1 loadshedding on Monday between 5pm and 10pm due to the loss of two generating units at Kusile and one each at the Kendal and Tutuka power stations.

“These constraints have been exacerbated by delays in returning a unit each at Kusile, Duvha and Matla Power Stations. Breakdowns currently total 15 570MW of capacity, while planned maintenance is 1 273MW of capacity,” Eskom said.

READ: ‘Road Accident Fund is biggest liability after Eskom’ says Mbalula

Worsening energy crisis

The DA has promised to write to the Deputy President, asking for minutes of the meeting between the Eskom task team, dating back to 2014.

The party’s Ghaleb Cachalia said the inter-ministerial Eskom task team, initially headed by then-Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and currently under the authority of Mabuza, was established to oversee the turnaround of Eskom and deal with the electricity crisis.

However, with a worsening energy crisis in the country, the task team has to account for the work it has done to try and ameliorate the crisis.

“With energy experts warning that the country may possibly be heading towards stage 4 rolling blackouts, South Africans have a right to know what the task team has done from 2014 to date to address electricity challenges facing the country, in line with its mandate,” Cachalia said.

He said loadsheding poses a clear and present danger to South Africa’s economy and any government intervention instituted to address this crisis should be transparent and accountable to the people.

“Mabuza should show leadership and be honest on the progress made by the Eskom task team by acceding to our request for its meeting minutes,” he said.

Level 6 not Stage 2

According to energy expert, Ted Blom, last week’s loadshedding was actually level 6 and not Stage 2 as declared by Eskom.

So Loadshedding on Wednesday 02 June 2021was actually LEVEL 6 (5 136MW) vs Stage 2 declared by Eskom. The think the public is stupid? ADR stated he is personally in charge of Loadshedding. Who needs to be fired?

— Ted Blom (@tedblom) June 7, 2021

During previous media interviews, Blom said Stage 6 is a certainty.

“They are telling us they are doing level 2 load shedding – but that’s for the public. What they don’t tell you is that behind the scenes they are actually load shedding their voluntary load shedding clients by another 2 000 megawatts,” he told SAfm.