DURBAN - Eskom will implement a two nights Stage 2 loadshedding from 22:00 until 05:00 starting tonight to boost the system that is already under pressure due to the ongoing reliability maintenance.
In a media statement released by the power generator this morning, the entity’s spokesman Sikhonathi Mantshantsha said that Eskom continued to implement reliability maintenance during this period, hence the system would continue to be constrained with an elevated risk of loadshedding.
“At the moment the equivalent of two large power stations was out for planned maintenance, adding pressure to the system,” said Mantshantsha.
Stage 2 loadshedding will be implemented between 22:00 and 05:00 tonight and tomorrow night.
Mantshantsha said that the loadshedding was necessary in order to recover and preserve the emergency generation reserves that have been utilised to support the system during the week following the earlier than planned shutdown of Koeberg Unit 1 and other units whose return to service has been delayed.
Earlier this week, Eskom took the Koeberg Unit 1 offline for repairs, routine maintenance and refueling outage processes. The unit will be brought back to operation in May.
Eskom said that it currently had 6 672MW on planned maintenance, while another 12 073MW of capacity was unavailable due to unplanned maintenance. Mantshantsha said that Eskom teams were working around the clock to return as many of these units to service as soon as possible.
“Eskom would like to urge the public to reduce electricity consumption in order to help us minimize loadshedding. The system remains vulnerable and unpredictable. Loadshedding is implemented as a last resort in order to protect the integrity of the system.”
Eskom said it would communicate timeously should there be any significant changes to their current plans.
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