CAPE TOWN - Eskom said no load shedding was expected on Thursday but the system remained constrained and vulnerable, which could lead to outages at short notice.
“The system remains constrained and vulnerable, with generating plants performing at very low levels of reliability. With unplanned breakdowns, the probability of load shedding remains, but will only be implemented if absolutely necessary,” Eskom said in a statement.
“There is sufficient diesel for our open cycle gas turbines and water at the pumped storage schemes to supplement the shortage of capacity if required.”
It said the Emergency Response Command Centre (ERCC) continued to monitor the system closely.
“A concerted collective effort to reduce demand can help to avoid or lessen the level of load shedding. And as such, we strongly urge customers to assist by helping to reduce demand by using electricity sparingly.”
The utility further advised customers to check their load shedding schedules on the Eskom or municipal websites.
“We remind customers that load shedding is conducted rotationally as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout. We will continue to keep South Africans informed about the status of the electricity system.”