Cape Town – While many South Africans were just getting used to Stage 2 load shedding, Eskom announced that it would have to implement Stage 4 power cuts with only 15 minutes’ notice.
The City of Cape Town has also informed residents of how they will be affected by the news.
Just after midday, the power utility announced that due to ongoing generation capacity shortages, Stage 4 load shedding would implemented from 1pm until 5am on Friday.
Thereafter, Stage 2 load shedding would continue as previously communicated until 5am on Saturday.
“While Eskom regrets the escalation in load shedding, it is necessary to ration the remaining emergency generation reserves, which have been utilised extensively this morning as we are not getting the reduction in demand as expected from the implementation of Stage 2 load shedding.
“It was anticipated that an additional seven units would have returned to service by Monday, and this has not materialised. Further, a generating unit at Arnot power station tripped this morning, contributing to the shortages,” Eskom said.
“We remind customers that load shedding is implemented as a last resort to maintain the stability of the power system, regardless of the stage of load shedding.”
The City, meanwhile, had previously informed resident how they would be affected by Stage 2 load shedding for the week, but has provided an update after the moved to Stage 4.
The City said that customers would be on Stage 3 from 1pm until 10pm, and then on Stage 4 from 10pm until 5am on Tuesday morning.
Then on Tuesday until November 11 residents would be on Stage 3 from 6am until 10pm, and would then move to Stage 4 from 10pm until 5am.
It added that between the hours of 5am and 6am no load shedding would take place.
11 November:
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) November 8, 2021
Stage 3: 06:00 - 22:00
Stage 4: 22:00 - 05:00
Updates to follow.
Previously, this how the City’s load shedding schedule looked for Stage 2.
10 November:
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) November 7, 2021
Stage 1: 06:00 - 22:00
Stage 2: 22:00 - 05:00
11 November:
Stage 1: 06:00 until 22:00
Stage 2: 22:00 until 05:00, 12 November
12 November:
Stage 1: 06:00 until 22:00
Stage 2: 22:00 until 05:00, Saturday 13 November
Updates will follow should there be changes.
Recently, the City of Cape Town lashed out at the power supplier after it escalated load shedding to Stage 4.
“This amount of load shedding is simply unsustainable to our residents and businesses, and the South African economy as a whole. The lack of leadership from the national government on the urgent changes required in the energy regime is a blow to all South Africans.
“As a well-run city, investment and maintenance in infrastructure is critical to ensure that assets such as the Steenbras scheme and gas turbines can be used to assist where possible,” the City said.
It added that since September 2020, the municipality had protected its customers through the use of the Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme and, to a lesser extent, its gas turbines for a total of 457 hours, or the equivalent of about 19 full days.
The Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme enables the City to shield its customers from at least one stage of load shedding.