Eskom reduces load-shedding at short notice — here is the new timetable
Eskom has announced it downgraded load-shedding to Stage 2 at 09:00 on Tuesday, 5 December 2023.
The rotational power cuts will then increase to Stage 3 at 16:00. The power utility had previously planned to implement Stage 3 load-shedding between 05:00 and 16:00 and Stage 4 from 16:00 onwards.
“Due to improved generation capacity and adequate emergency reserves, load-shedding was reduced to Stage 2 at 09:00 today until 16:00,” Eskom said.
“Stage 3 load-shedding will be implemented from 16:00 today until 16:00 on Wednesday. Then, Stage 4 load-shedding will be implemented from 16:00 until 05:00 on Thursday, followed by Stage 3 load-shedding until 16:00 on Friday.”
The power utility said it would publish an update if any significant changes occur.
Eskom announced the previous load-shedding schedule from Sunday, 3 December 2023, planning a rotation of Stage 3 load-shedding during the day and Stage 4 overnight.
It said the load-shedding pattern was necessary to manage its emergency reserves.
To this end, according to its evening peak statistics, the power utility was able to get by on Monday, 5 December 2023, without using any of its open-cycle gas turbines.
Eskom’s available generation capacity during the evening peak on Monday was 26,741MW, while total demand was only slightly higher at 27,294MW.
However, the load-shedding figure for the evening peak was 3,771MW as the power utility implements a buffer to protect the grid.
The load-shedding timetable from Tuesday, 5 December 2023, to Friday, 8 December, is provided in the table below.
Load-shedding from 5 December 2023 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Day | Daytime (05:00–16:00) | Evening peak (16:00–05:00) | ||
5 December | Tuesday | Stage 2 (from 09:00) | Stage 3 | ||
6 December | Wednesday | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | ||
7 December | Thursday | Stage 3 | |||
8 December | Friday | Stage 3 | TBC |