Eskom announces all-night load-shedding for Thursday
Eskom has announced that Stage 2 load-shedding will run throughout the night on Thursday, 8 September 2022.
The power utility attributes the schedule change to a need to preserve pumped storage dam levels. Stage 2 load-shedding was previously scheduled to run until 22:00.
“The additional load-shedding tonight is required to manage and preserve the pumped storage dam levels, part of the emergency generation reserves, which have been utilised extensively over the past four days,” Eskom said in a statement.
The power utility currently has 4,588MW of generation capacity offline for scheduled maintenance, while a further 15,204MW is unavailable due to unit breakdowns.
Stage 2 load-shedding will return to the 05:00 to 22:00 schedule on Friday, 9 September.
Eskom announced a week of Stage 2 load-shedding — between the hours of 05:00 and 22:00 — on Tuesday, 6 September, following the breakdown of five generation units at five different power stations.
“The breakdown of a generation unit [each] at Arnot, Duvha, Kendal, Medupi and Tutuka power stations, as well as the delays in returning a unit to service at Hendrina Power Station, have exacerbated the capacity constraints,” Eskom said.
Koeberg nuclear power station’s unit 2 also tripped on Saturday, 3 September, taking 920MW offline and worsening the generation shortfall.
Eskom urges all South Africans to use electricity sparingly, adding that it will communicate any significant changes.
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