High chance of load shedding on Wednesday, Eskom warns

File picture: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

File picture: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

Published Feb 18, 2020

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Durban - Brace yourself for the possibility of load shedding on Wednesday. After a two day day respite, Eskom announced that while no load shedding was currently expected, there was a high possibility of load shedding on Wednesday.

The power utility said the likeliness of load shedding had increased as they lost additional generation units due to unplanned breakdowns. 

"We have not implemented load shedding since Sunday night. However, we want to remind customers that the system remains vulnerable and that load shedding can be implemented at short notice if there are any additional changes in the system performance."

Eskom said it would communicate regularly.

It said even though there are some improvements in the generation system, they requested that customers continue to reduce demand and to use electricity sparingly during this period. 

It reiterated that the possibility of increased load shedding would take place over the next 18 months as critical maintenance is conducted to restore the ageing plant to good health.

Eskom urged customers to conserve electricity by doing the following: 

• Install a timer on your geyser

• Reduce the temperature of your geyser to 55ºC or less

• Take short showers instead of filling up a bath tub with hot water

• Only boil the amount of water you need

• Switch off your geysers over peak periods

• Always match the pot to the size of the stove plate  

• Set air-conditioners’ average temperature at 23ºC  

• Use the cold water tap rather than using the geyser every time  

• Set your swimming pool pump cycle to run twice a day, three hours at a time 

• At the end of the day, turn off computers, copiers, printers and fax machines at the switch

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