Eskom has announced that it will be implementing Stage 2 rolling blackouts from 5pm on Tuesday afternoon until five am on Monday morning.
The power utility says the decision to implement rolling blackouts was taken due to a shortage of generation capacity.
Eskom has recorded nine breakdowns of generators since Monday.
“This load shedding has been caused by a shortage of generation capacity owing to delays in returning generators to service, as well as breakdowns of nine generators. Eskom will continue to monitor the system and implement any changes as required. Since yesterday (Monday) a generation unit each at Lethabo, Tutuka, Ingula, Drakensberg, Arnot as well as two units each at Hendrina and Matla power stations suffered breakdowns. Further, delays in returning generators to service at Arnot, Kendal, and three units at Tutuka power stations have added to the capacity constraints,” says spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsha.
The power utility says it expects to return as many of the units as possible over the next few days. “ We also expect to rely on the use of emergency generating reserves to the stage of load shedding during this period. We have 3 875 MW on planned maintenance, while another 15 067 MW of capacity unavailable due to breakdowns,” says the power utility in a statement.
South Africans have been urged to use electricity sparingly.
The grid has recently been under constrain :
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