Power utility Eskom has escalated load shedding once again, as the group’s emergency reserves and generating capacity fell short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to insufficient emergency reserves and generation capacity as a result of four units not returning to service as planned, stage 4 load shedding was implemented on Wednesday morning from 02:31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stage 4 outages will continue until further notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group had previously intended on keeping load shedding on rotation between stage 1 during the day and stage 3 at night, but was forced to increase this to a rotation of stage 2 and stage 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The escalation in load shedding comes amid warnings from analysts as well as government officials that the grid remains unstable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said on Sunday that power cuts had to be ramped up this week to replenish emergency reserves after Eskom lost a \u201ccluster\u201d of units from different power stations across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we had not experienced that, of course, you would not be seeing the kind of intensity of load shedding that we are experiencing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Independent energy analyst Pieter Jordaan warned that Eskom\u2019s unplanned outages had entrenched above 30% in recent weeks, meaning any failures \u2013 or increased demand \u2013 would result in an escalation of load shedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eskom’s system outlook has forecast code red load shedding for the next 52 weeks, meaning South Africans should expect outages at stage 2 and beyond at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the group’s executive has expressed their intention to cap load shedding at stage 4 over the coming months – which will require unplanned outages to be kept under control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schedules <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For people living in the major metros, load shedding schedules are available here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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