Eskom implements Stage 3 loadshedding

Eskom has announced the implementation of Stage 3 loadshedding from 14:00 today until Monday at 05:00, following a loss of 2700MW over the past 14 hours.

Despite achieving 98% power supply availability, the power utility said in a statement on Friday that the move is necessary to replenish emergency reserves over the weekend while high levels of planned maintenance continue. 

The Power Utility said this includes Koeberg Unit 2, which was taken offline after being brought back on Wednesday, and two Kusile Units whose coal operations went sub-optimal following adverse weather in the area. 

Eskom said that higher levels of planned maintenance outages, aimed at winter preparation and meeting regulatory and environmental licensing requirements are still underway. 

The power utility explained that the constrained capacity resulted in the increased reliance on emergency reserves during this week, which makes it necessary to focus on replenishing these critical resources during the weekend in preparation for the business week. 

Eskom added that it is focused on deploying extra engineering resources to expedite the repair of units currently offline. It is anticipated that 6200MW will be restored to service by Monday’s evening peak. 

The events that triggered Stage 3 loadshedding occurred while the system was already under strain, the statement said. 

Eskom’s Summer Outlook, published on 26 August 2024, remains unchanged. 

Eskom’s Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, reaffirmed the utility’s commitment to preventing a return to the severe loadshedding levels experienced in 2023. 

“We reiterate our commitment to ensuring that South Africa is in no way returning to the levels of loadshedding that we experienced in 2023. Two years into delivering the generation recovery plan, that will bring an end loadshedding, we are at a challenging time and the full force of our highly skilled engineering resources are deployed and focused,” Nxumalo said. 

Nxumalo acknowledged delays in returning previously tripped units to the grid, as well as in the restoration of three units that have been on longer-term outage. 

“We have had some delays in returning units that previously tripped back to the grid, as well as to the return of three units that have been on longer-term outage that will bring back 2500MW to the grid, which will happen over the coming weeks,” Nxumalo said.   

Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane, acknowledged the challenges of loadshedding, calling it a painful reminder of the past. He emphasised the power utility’s commitment to ending loadshedding through intensive maintenance efforts.

“Loadshedding is a painful reminder of the past and situations such as this drive our resolve to double down and stay the course to end loadshedding. We again apologise to the nation for this temporary setback. 

“We have to keep our focus on intensive maintenance as evidenced by year-to-date (1 April 2024 to 27 February 2025) loadshedding that was suspended for 325 days (7 871 hours), compared to 32 days (2 103 hours) in the same period last year. 

“Electricity supply was available 98% of the time, compared to just 9.6% last year, that was a result of the deep maintenance we did in summer 2023/2024,” Marokane said. – SAnews.gov.za

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