Eskom to implement Stage 1 and 2 levels over weekend

Rolling blackouts due to Eskom's power grid being under severe strain resulted in the Cape Argus Newsroom being left without power and the production team having to relocate temporarily to Allied Media in Epping. l JEFFREY ABRAHAMS

Rolling blackouts due to Eskom's power grid being under severe strain resulted in the Cape Argus Newsroom being left without power and the production team having to relocate temporarily to Allied Media in Epping. l JEFFREY ABRAHAMS

Published Mar 17, 2023

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Cape Town – Power utility Eskom announced that load shedding Stage 1 and 2 would be in force over the weekend.

This comes after Eskom had previously said that as a result of further improvements in the generation capacity over the past 24 hours, Stage 2 load shedding would be implemented from 12pm midday yesterday (Friday) until further notice.

Meanwhile later yesterday evening, Eskom said due to some recovery in generation capacity over the past 48 hours and lower than expected demand, load shedding would be reduced to Stage 1 from 5am today until 4pm.

"Thereafter, load shedding will be increased to Stage 2 until 5am on Sunday. Load shedding will be suspended on Sunday between 5am and 4pm," Eskom said.

Eskom said that Stage 1 load shedding would be implemented from 4pm tomorrow (Sunday) until 4pm on Monday and Stage 2 load shedding would be in force from 4pm on Monday until 5am on Tuesday.

"Load shedding will then again be suspended from 5am on Tuesday until 4pm. Thereafter, Stage 2 will be implemented until further notice," Eskom said.

The power utility further said that breakdowns are currently at 14 256 MW of generating capacity while 4 765 MW of generating capacity is out of service for planned maintenance.

"The lower expected weekend demand has allowed Eskom to reduce the required stages of load shedding and suspend where possible.

"During the last 24 hours, a generating unit each at Camden and two units at Hendrina power stations were taken offline for repairs," Eskom added in a statement.

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