Eskom has announced that it has started implementing Stage 4 load shedding until 05:00 on Friday morning.

Thereafter Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented until 05:00 on Saturday morning.

The power utility says this is due to the ongoing generation capacity shortages. Eskom spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsha says the escalation of load shedding is necessary to ration the remaining emergency generation reserves, which were extensively used on Monday.

“It was anticipated that an additional seven units would have returned to service by Monday, and this has not materialised. Further, a generating unit at Arnot Power Station tripped this morning, contributing to the shortages. Eskom would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused by the implementation of load shedding and requests the public to reduce the usage of electricity in order to help us through the constraints. Eskom will communicate promptly should there be any significant changes to the power system,” says Mantshantsha.

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