Eskom to cut load shedding this weekend – here’s the new schedule
Power utility Eskom says that it is planning to suspend load shedding during the day this weekend, with lower stages expected during the evening peaks.
This is due to the sustained improved performance of generation availability as well as the anticipated lower demand on Saturday and Sunday.
Load shedding will be suspended between 05h00 and 16h00 on Saturday and Sunday, with stage 2 being implemented between 16h00 and 05h00.
However, stage 3 load shedding will continue on Friday until 05h00 on Saturday to begin with.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday, 29 September
- Stage 2: until 16h00
- Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00
Saturday, 30 September
- Stage 3: 00h00 to 05h00
- Suspended: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 2: 16h00 to 00h00
Sunday, 1 October
- Stage 2: 00h00 to 05h00
- Suspended: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 2: 16h00 to 00h00
Monday, 2 October
- Stage 2: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage and time TBD
Notably, Eskom has previously announced weekend suspensions to load shedding but was forced to re-implement outages due to a deteriorating energy situation.
The grid remains under strain and unpredictable, so South Africans are warned that the situation can change at very short notice.
“Eskom will closely monitor the power system and communicate any change to load shedding should it be required,” it said.
Breakdowns are currently at 14,266MW of generating capacity while the capacity out of service for
planned maintenance is 5,388MW.
Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit each at Arnot, Duvha, Ingula and Vanderkloof power stations was taken offline for repairs.
In the same period, a generating unit at Hendrina Power Station was returned to service.
Eskom’s load forecast for the evening peak demand is 27,606MW.
Positively, Eskom’s current outages are lower than the target set for its forward-looking forcarst, which is set at 14,500MW.
If the group manages to maintain outages at or below these levels, Eskom has a higher chance of keeping load shedding capped at stage 4 in the coming months as demand picks up.
Schedules
For people living in the major metros, load shedding schedules are available here:
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Ekurhuleni
- City of Tshwane
- City of Cape Town (PDF)
- Nelson Mandela Bay
- eThekwini
- Manguang
- Buffalo City
For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.
Smartphone users can also download the app EskomSePush to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, as well as the times the area you are in will be off.
Read: Stage 16 load shedding – South Africans get to have their say
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