Eskom has not implemented rotational loadshedding today. We thank all customers for using electricity sparingly during this period assisting us to pull through the evening peak.

The power system continues to remain constrained due to a shortage of capacity from the effects of the recent industrial action and Eskom will provide an update on the power system through all media platforms.

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 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.

Customers are advised to keep checking their loadshedding schedules on the Eskom and their municipal website, and plan on the assumption that loadshedding 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.
 
Eskom will provide regular updates on the status of the power system through all the media platforms.
 
Thank you to all South Africans for your co-operation and understanding.

 

Issued by Eskom