Eskom says the country is expected to have sufficient electricity supply over the winter period unless power stations experience breakdowns.
The power utility escalated rolling blackouts to Stage 4 last week, following a further deterioration of generation capacity. However, Eskom Spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsha says power cuts are not expected for the rest of this week.
“In the peak of winter, Eskom will be able to supply 35 000 megawatts to the country, which generally is sufficient to get rid of load shedding, but that is only during that period.
“Currently, Eskom is able with much difficulty to supply only 30 000 megawatts of electricity and should we have breakdowns – that is when you get such a statement. We will continue to have this constrained system until we are able as a country to have new generation capacity added, which is power stations being built,” Mantshantsha explains.
Mantshantsha says today being a public holiday, “there is really low demand and this will carry on throughout the rest of the week because it is a short week.”
