Eskom’s Weekend Load Shedding Update: Here’s the Scoop!

If you’re weary of the incessant load shedding, Eskom has some news that may momentarily lighten your mood.

A Brief Reprieve:

Eskom’s latest announcement hints at giving South Africans a bit of a breather over the weekend. Thanks to a combo of better-performing generation units and expected reduced demand, load shedding will hit the pause button during daytime hours on both Saturday and Sunday.

Here’s a quick glance at the schedule:

Friday, 29 September

• Up to 16h00: Stage 2
• 16h00 to Midnight: Stage 3

Saturday, 30 September

• Midnight to 05h00: Stage 3
• Daytime break: 05h00 to 16h00
• Evening: 16h00 to Midnight at Stage 2

Sunday, 1 October

• Wee hours: Midnight to 05h00 at Stage 2
• Daytime break: 05h00 to 16h00
• Evening: 16h00 to Midnight at Stage 2

Monday, 2 October kicks off with Stage 2 from Midnight to 05h00, but the remainder is yet to be determined.

A word of caution, though: Eskom had previously hinted at load shedding reprieves over weekends, only to revert to outages thanks to unforeseen challenges.

The Reality Check:

Despite the weekend’s hopeful outlook, South Africans are urged to stay vigilant. The power grid remains fragile, and situations can pivot quickly. Eskom emphasized, “Eskom will closely monitor the power system and communicate any change to load shedding should it be required.”

Recent Performance Metrics:

• Current Breakdowns: Stands at 14,266MW
• Planned Maintenance: Hovers around 5,388MW
• Outage Updates: A unit each from Arnot, Duvha, Ingula, and Vanderkloof had to be shut down for repairs in the last 24 hours. But, in a bit of good news, a unit at Hendrina was revived.
• Evening Peak Forecast: Estimated at 27,606MW

The Bright Side:

The silver lining here is that Eskom’s present outages are under the forward-looking target of 14,500MW. Should Eskom successfully navigate this threshold, chances look promising for a maximum of Stage 4 load shedding in the foreseeable future, even as demand amps up. Fingers crossed!

Accessing Load Shedding Schedules

We are pleased to inform you that accessing load shedding schedules tailored to your specific area is now simplified, thanks to Loadshedding.com.

How to Access the Schedule:

1. Visit Load shedding Schedule.
2. Enter your suburb name to view the schedule for upcoming days.

If you’re uncertain about your suburb’s name, kindly refer to Eskom’s Loadshedding Site for assistance.

Device Compatibility: The Loadshedding.com platform is optimized for a range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers.

Pro-tip: Bookmark your suburb on the site for quicker access in the future.