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While Eskom’s generating capacity has improved, allowing it to suspend the load shedding tonight, it cautioned that the system remained “vulnerable and unpredictable.” Photo: Getty Images
Eskom says it will suspend the load shedding starting at 11 p.m. Monday, thanks to the return of more generators to service.
The power company implemented load shedding from Thursday, and although this was expected to last only through Sunday night, Eskom extended the blackouts on Monday, as some of the units that were supposed to return to service on Sunday they were delayed.
On Monday night, Eskom said that over the past 24 hours, its crews had returned two generating units at Kusile and Kriel, and one at the Tutuka power plant, to service. Two more generation units were expected to be back online on Tuesday. The utility added that its emergency generation reserves had also recovered adequately.
“Eskom would like to thank the people of South Africa for their patience and understanding during the shedding,” the company wrote in a statement.
However, he warned that while the supply situation has improved, people should continue to use electricity sparingly as the system remains “vulnerable and unpredictable.”
“As Eskom has regularly said, the risk of head loss remains high as we perform further reliability maintenance,” the energy company added.
Eskom said it had 4,920 MW of idle generation capacity for planned maintenance on Monday night, while another 13,897 MW were unavailable due to unplanned maintenance, breakdowns and delayed outages.
Compiled by Londiwe Buthelezi
