Month: July 2023

Eskom, South Africa’s power utility, has signalled a need to escalate load shedding on Wednesday (19 July), following the failure of eight of its units. The Immediate Plan Eskom is forced to ramp up load shedding to stage 4 on Wednesday evening from 16:00 until 05:00 on Thursday, subsequently reverting to stage 3 load shedding, […]

While South Africa’s Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has been swift in crediting Eskom’s improved performance for the lower load shedding stages, a recent data analysis reveals a contrasting scenario at the struggling power utility. Unraveling the Facts Insights drawn from independent energy analyst Pieter Jordaan’s scrutiny of Eskom’s Data Portal depict the primary factors […]

The Persistent Challenge of Copper Theft In the heart of Mangaung Metro Municipality, an organized crime syndicate is thriving, focusing on copper and electrical fittings. This nefarious network is causing significant financial strain and infrastructural damage to Centlec, the municipality’s power distributor. This ongoing criminal activity has put Centlec’s ability to provide service in jeopardy, […]

Oberholzer’s Departure Jan Oberholzer, the forthright former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Eskom, is leaving the beleaguered power utility company by “mutual agreement”. This Monday’s announcement (17 July) informed that Oberholzer’s official departure date is scheduled for 31 July. Although he formally retired from the company at the end of April 2023, Oberholzer didn’t completely […]

Return to Previous Load Shedding Patterns Eskom, the power utility, has announced that it will revert to a previous pattern of load shedding this week. This shift follows the recent increase in outages spurred by an abrupt cold snap. The utility will maintain load shedding at stage 2 until 16h00 on Monday (17 July). Following […]

A Worrisome Outlook for Koeberg Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa expressed growing trepidation on Monday over the potential delayed return of Koeberg nuclear power station’s unit 1 to service in Cape Town. Currently, the unit is undergoing a maintenance outage for a steam generator replacement, which, according to Eskom, was supposed to be completed by mid-September. […]

The Ongoing Energy Struggle While winter load shedding has proven less devastating than initially predicted, the recent leap to stage 6 demonstrates that South Africa is far from resolving its energy predicament. This, unfortunately, does not bode well for the economy. As we rolled into this year, Eskom and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa cautioned of […]

Eskom’s Power Management Update Eskom has brought some good news to the citizens, announcing the temporary suspension of rotational power cuts at 01:35 on Sunday, 16 July 2023. The respite, courtesy of adequately replenished pumped storage dam levels, will last until 08:00. “Load-shedding was suspended at 01:35 this morning,” Eskom reported. Revised Load-Shedding Timetable Despite […]

Reshaping KwaZulu-Natal’s Energy Landscape KwaZulu-Natal’s Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, projects that the province may soon outrun others in escaping the clutches of load shedding, once bureaucratic barriers are tackled. Post her recent cabinet consultation with Electricity Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in Durban, Dube-Ncube expressed optimism. The premier shared that the productive exchange concluded with the minister’s […]

In the midst of a heightened load shedding crisis, Johannesburg finds itself grappling with a significant increase in power failures. City Power, the city’s utility provider, has struggled to manage the sudden surge in outages across multiple districts, notably including Randburg, Alexandra, and Hursthill. Riding the Dark Wave: The Troubles of Randburg Randburg’s residents have […]