LOAD SHEDDING IS BACK

JOHANNESBURG – Stage two load shedding will be implemented from 4pm until midnight due to a shortage of generation capacity at some of the country’s power stations.

Eskom issued a warning on Monday saying the strain on the system would force it to implement load shedding at short notice.

In a statement, the utility said further breakdowns and delays in returning units to service have put severe strain on the system.

“The breakdowns of a single generation unit at Arnot Power Station and three at Tutuka Power Station during the last 24 hours, as well as the delays in returning units to service at Arnot, Kusile and Tutuka power stations have put a severe strain on the power generation system. We currently have 4,550MW on planned maintenance, while another 14 182MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns,” explained Eskom.

The utility said there’s a high probability that the power cuts will be extended to Wednesday and Thursday at the same time.

Consumers have been urged to use electricity sparingly.