The prognosis for Stage 1 loadshedding remains high for this evening from 5pm to 9pm due to a shortage of capacity from the effects of the recent industrial action. While the prognosis is high, loadshedding will only be implemented as a last resort when all other emergency reserves have been exhausted.  Should loadshedding occur it will continue on a rotational basis and will be implemented across the country. Customers are reminded to treat all electrical points as live during this period.

Level 1 loadshedding requires 1000MW to be loadshed nation-wide. Loadshedding is conducted as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout.

While safety of employees remains our first priority, recovery teams at our power stations continue to work hard to stabilize the power system and to return our generation plant as quick as possible. Eskom’s prognosis is that the power system will take up to approximately ten days to recover from the effects of the recent industrial action, once all staff eventually return to work on Monday.

The estimated ten-day prognosis for full restoration is due to the effects of the industrial action which interrupted continuous processes at the power plants. These processes have now to be cleared out and restarted which would take additional time. These include:
 

• Coal management and transportation. For example the inability to transport coal from our coal stock yards to our coal bunkers due to the absence of operating staff. In addition the already low coal stockpiles at some stations were exacerbated by road closures as coal delivery had to be suspended.
• Significant increase in plant outages and a bottleneck in routine maintenance due to the lack of resources to optimally operate the plant; such as ash clearing and mechanical failures that occurred during the period. For example smaller stations can only return units more or less every 24 hours due to demineralised water limitations and some stations that are operating at high output have to manage their ash levels to achieve optimal productions. These stations are expected to only return to normality by Thursday.
• In addition, Eskom is currently managing diesel levels at our peaking plants at 50% to ensure that sufficient diesel generation is available for emergencies.

While the restoration could be completed earlier, increase in production and full stability can only increase and be achieved with the return of employees on Monday. We will continue to re-assess our prognosis during the week.
 
We continue to appeal to residents and businesses to use electricity sparingly during this period. Please switch off geysers during the day especially during peak periods (07:00 to 10:00 and 18:00 to 21:00) as well as all non-essential lighting and electricity appliances to assist in reducing demand.
 
Customers are advised to keep checking their loadshedding schedules on the Eskom and their municipal website, and plan on the assumption that load shedding will take place.
 
For Eskom customers, these schedules are available on the Eskom website (loadshedding.eskom.co.za). Eskom customers can also contact our customer contact centre at 0860 037 566.
 
Loadshedding tips:
 
Keep battery-operated equipment charged (cell phones, torches, laptops, tablets and radios)
Prepare and heat meals beforehand or obtain a small stand-by bottled LP gas heating ring for essential cooking and to boil water for hot beverages.

Issued by Eskom