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Brief Respite for Consumers
In a welcome shift, Eskom has put the brakes on load shedding for a portion of Tuesday, thanks to a boost in generation. However, consumers shouldn’t get too complacent, as power interruptions are set to return by evening.
- Short-lived Relief: The utility confirmed the halt of load shedding from 09h00 to 16h00 on Tuesday. Yet, by the evening, we’ll see the resurgence of stage 3 load shedding, which will persist until 05h00 on Wednesday.
- Stay Tuned: “We are keeping a keen eye on system performance and will keep the public updated as the situation unfolds,” remarked an Eskom spokesperson. More details are anticipated later today.
Comparing to Last Week
If we take a trip down memory lane to just last week, Eskom was grappling with the escalated stage 6 load shedding. But as the weekend neared, the situation took a turn for the better, allowing for a suspension in power cuts.
Key Factors Influencing the Turnaround:
- Enhanced generation performance.
- A commendable reduction in unplanned outages, currently pegged at 13,577MW, which is comfortably under the 15,000MW target. This figure also falls way short of the alarming 20,200MW – dubbed the “worst-case scenario” in Eskom’s recent system report.
- Outlook: Glimpsing into Eskom’s projections based on the past week’s outages, stage 2 load shedding seems to be on the cards for the forthcoming year. Yet, these forecasts, rooted in 7-day trends, might be up for a revision given the improved performance this week.
Hopeful Horizons: Kusile’s Positive News
Brightening up the electricity landscape, Kusile Power Station’s Unit 4 is back in action, replenishing the grid with 800 megawatts. This move comes post the unit’s scheduled 20-day maintenance.
Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the esteemed Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, recently expressed optimism, hinting at the early return of other Kusile units. Such a move promises to solidify the nation’s energy foundation as 2023 winds down.
A Look at Kusile:
- Units 1, 2, and 3 were temporarily sidelined, the culprit being a flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) system malfunction last October, impacting the units’ stacks.
- Upcoming Milestones: “The roadmap looks promising. Unit 3 is set to bounce back by 14 October, shedding a whole month off its earlier timeline. Similarly, we’re targeting a 30 October revival for unit 1,” confirmed Ramokgopa.
Stay with us for more updates on Eskom’s evolving energy landscape.
Load Shedding Reporter 
Joel Bijlmer 