Power utility Eskom says that load shedding will continue to be suspended until further notice – after a week of no outages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eskom said that this is a result of sustained available generation capacity as well as adequate emergency reserves. Moderation in demand – off the back of the Easter holidays and continuing this week – is also to thank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Eskom will provide a system update on Friday or communicate any significant changes should they occur,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The utility said that a total of 2,365MW is planned to be returned to service by Friday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While delivering some good news on the load shedding front, the not-so-good news is that Eskom customers have been hit with another double-digit hike in electricity tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eskom was granted a 12.74% increase for its direct customers by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This increase is coupled with a 25.64% affordability subsidy. The average increase for key industrial and urban tariffs will be 13.29%, which is due to the increase in the affordability subsidy charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The affordability subsidy charge is given as a subsidy to the Homelight 20A tariff and is determined by Nersa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eskom explained that it is paid by the non-municipal large industrial and urban tariffs and exists because of historically lower Homelight 20A tariff increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nersa also granted a 12.72% increase to municipal customers. However, while Eskom\u2019s prices went up at the start of April, municipalities will only increase their customer tariffs on 1 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n