Eskom extends Stage 2 load shedding for two more days

Rustenburg - Load shedding will be extended for two days due to shortage of generation capacity, Eskom said.

The power utility said stage 2 load shedding would be implemented overnight from 5pm until 5am on Tuesday and from 5pm to 5am on Wednesday.

"Load shedding will then be suspended at 5am on Friday. The extension of load shedding is caused by the shortage of generation capacity and continued delays in returning to service four generating units at Camden power station and two generating units at Tutuka power station. Eskom teams are working hard to return as many of these units to service as possible," Eskom said.

"A single unit that had tripped at Lethabo Power Station yesterday morning has returned to service. This unit, however, will take some time to reach full production."

Eskom said any further deterioration in generation capacity may require further load shedding.

"We currently have 4 804MW on planned maintenance, while another 15 300MW of capacity is unavailable due to unplanned breakdowns.

"We are managing the emergency generation reserves to limit the stage of load shedding. The overnight load shedding will be used to replenish the dam levels at the pump storage power stations.."

The power utility apologised for the implementation of load shedding adding that load shedding was implemented only as a last resort in order to protect the national grid.

IOL