South Africa is currently facing a power crisis, with load shedding becoming a frequent and frustrating reality for citizens, and it seems things aren’t getting better any time soon. Eskom has announced that it’s moving back to stage 6 load shedding on Monday (25 April) as the power grid comes under strain. Due to generation capacity constraints, this level of load shedding will be implemented from 16h00 this afternoon until 05h00 on Tuesday. Eskom has warned that the planned stages may again change, given the recent happenings.
Here’s the new schedule as per Eskom:
Monday, 24 April
- Stage 3: until 16h00
- Stage 6: 16h00 to 00h00
Tuesday, 25 April
- Stage 6: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage 4: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 6: 16h00 to 00h00
Wednesday, 26 April
- Stage 6: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage 3: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 4: 16h00 to 00h00
Load shedding is a reality for South Africa, affecting daily life countrywide, especially during this time when many of us are working from home. And while we would like to avoid it as much as possible, it’s crucial to remember that we all have a part to play in reducing our electricity usage so that we can prevent load shedding from happening.
Breakdowns are currently at 17,955MW of generating capacity, with generating capacity planned maintenance out of service at 5,042MW. However, there is a glimmer of hope that Eskom is working around the clock to ensure that generating units are returned to service as soon as possible.
Stay safe, South Africa, and stay informed as these power outages continue to influence daily life.