Eskom load shedding update for the week

·10 Mar 2015

Eskom says that the power system will remain extremely constrained for the remainder of the week, “meaning that any extra load or faults… may necessitate the need to go into load shedding.

The power utility has thus far been able to avert constant load shedding in March, as was the case in January, and February.

Last Monday, Eskom said unit six at its newly built Medupi power station in Limpopo produced power for the first time.

“The electricity flowing into the grid marks a new beginning,” Eskom chief executive Tshediso Matona said at the time.

“Within the next three months, South Africa will see Medupi unit six’s full potential of 794MW being fed into the South African national grid.”

This was the first of Medupi power station’s six units to be synchronised.

Synchronisation involves the generator being connected to the grid so its power is aligned with all the other generators to deliver electricity.

Trends in the supply and demand of power in South Africa are as follows:

Tuesday (10 March): The capacity available to meet this evening’s peak demand is 31 006MW (including open cycle gas turbines) while demand is forecast 31,294MW.

Wednesday (11 March): The capacity available to meet that evening’s peak demand is 31,042MW (including open cycle gas turbines) while demand is forecast 31,174MW.

Thursday (12 March): The capacity available to meet that evening’s peak demand is 31,042MW (including open cycle gas turbines) while demand is forecast 31,170MW.

Friday (13 March): The capacity available to meet that evening’s peak demand is 30,060MW (including open cycle gas turbines) while demand is forecast 30,110MW.

Saturday (14 March): The capacity available to meet that evening’s peak demand is 30,208MW (including open cycle gas turbines) while demand is forecast 28,783MW.

Sunday (15 March):The capacity available to meet that evening’s peak demand is 30,208MW (including open cycle gas turbines) while demand is forecast 29,155MW.