Rustenburg – There will be more blackouts heading into the weekend, as Eskom has announced Stage 3 and 4 load shedding until Saturday.
“Stage 3 and stage 4 load shedding will continue to be implemented between 00:00- 16:00 and 16:00-00:00 daily until Saturday.
“Breakdowns currently amount to 15 492MW while planned maintenance is 5 076MW,“ Eskom said on Wednesday.
The power utility was expected to release a full statement and a further update on Friday afternoon.
Eskom said the controlled blackouts would continue until diesel stocks had been fully replenished.
“The vessel that is supposed to offload diesel at Mossel Bay cannot berth due to rough seas.
“Eskom has to therefore preserve the low diesel levels at Gourikwa, while delivery to Ankerlig will take time to replenish as it is done by road tankers.
“Stage 4 will be maintained until we can resume diesel supplies to the two open-cycle gas turbine stations.
“Camden power station has a technical problem with the water chemistry, has shut three units already this afternoon, and will shut the remaining four units,” Eskom added in a brief statement on Wednesday.
Energy expert Chris Yelland warned this week that load shedding would get worse if nothing was done to address the current situation.
He said South Africa was in the longest continuous streak of load shedding with the highest level shooting to stage 6.
“It is certainly the longest stretch of load shedding to date ... We had reached the highest stage to date, which is stage 6, and it can still be higher,” he said.
He said if nothing was done, the situation would get worse every year.
“This year we got stage 6 and it could be higher if we do not do something about it,” he said.
“The president (Cyril Ramaphosa) has given a whole plan of action. We need to implemented that plan, we need to stop talking about that plan. The plan is on the table, the national emergency crisis committee has been established, there are (a) number of work streams, they are looking at different aspects of that plan and it need(s) to be implemented fast.”
Part of Ramaphosa’s emergency energy plan, which was presented to the public in July, includes importing power from neighbouring countries in the SADC region, as well as procuring power from private players.
Developers of the EskomSePush app have calculated that the country has experienced more than 1 800 hours – or 75 days – of load shedding so far this year.
IOL