Risk of load shedding high as power systems remain vulnerable - Eskom

Eskom warned that the electricity system remains tight and the risk of loadshedding still remained high should power station units fail to return as planned. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Eskom warned that the electricity system remains tight and the risk of loadshedding still remained high should power station units fail to return as planned. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Dec 11, 2018

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Johannesburg - Power utility Eskom said on Tuesday that it will not implement Stage 1 rotational load shedding from 9am as usual, but warned that the electricity system remains tight and the risk of load shedding still remained high should power station units fail to return as planned.

Eskom had said on Monday that the probability of Stage 1 rotational load shedding remained high for Tuesday and for the rest of this week as the power system continues to remain vulnerable, despite some improvement in generation performance.

The troubled power utility has been implementing rotational load shedding for a month as it struggles to get the right amount of coal at its power stations.

Eskom says it will keep customers informed should there be any change. Stage 1 calls for 1000MW to be rotationally load shed nationally at a given period. Loadshedding is conducted rotationally as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout.

Last month, Eskom chairperson Jabu Mabuza said the power utility had seen a steady decline in generation plant performance and coal stock levels that were threatening its ability to keep the lights on but said they had mandated management to double their efforts in implementing the recently-announced nine-point system recovery plan as a matter of urgency. 

African News Agency (ANA)

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