Eskom dropping stage 6 power cuts — here is the timetable

Eskom has announced it will reduce load-shedding from the current stage 6 implementation to a rotation of stage 3 and stage 4 over the coming days.

The utility said the easing in power cuts was possible because it had replenished emergency generation reserves at its pumped storage and open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) power stations while stage 6 was in effect.

“Due to this improvement, load-shedding will be reduced to stage 4 from 12:00 [on Sunday, 26 November 2023] until 05:00 on Monday, 27 November 2023,” Eskom said.

“Thereafter, stage 3 load-shedding will be implemented from 05:00 until 16:00 on Monday, followed by stage 4 load-shedding from 16:00 until 05:00 on Tuesday.

Eskom said this pattern of stage 3 load-shedding during most day-time hours and stage 4 load-shedding over the evenings and early morning will be repeated daily until Thursday.

As of 09:25 on Sunday morning, the utility said its unplanned outages were at 15,386MW of generating capacity, while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance was 5,617MW.

It also anticipates that approximately 2,500MW of generating capacity would be returned to service by Tuesday evening.

That capacity is equal to how much demand is shed with around two and a half stages of load-shedding.

Eskom’s load forecast for the evening peak demand on Sunday is is 25,989MW.

Below is the load-shedding timetable from noon on Sunday, 26 November 2023, until Thursday, 30 November 2023.

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