Eskom’s Weekend Load Shedding Update

As the weekend beckons, South Africans can anticipate a slight reprieve from persistent load shedding. Eskom, the nation’s power utility, is optimistic about scaling back disruptions, hinting at the possibility of a full suspension on Sunday.

Here’s What You Need to Know

• Friday’s Forecast: Eskom has confirmed that Stage 2 load shedding will persist until the wee hours of Saturday, precisely 05h00.
• Saturday’s Blueprint: Starting at 05h00, Eskom will downgrade to Stage 1 load shedding, lasting until midnight.
• Sunday’s Bright Spot: The most promising part of the weekend arrives on Sunday. Eskom aims for a blackout-free morning and afternoon, with the suspension lasting from 05h00 to 16h00. However, brace yourself for Stage 1 interruptions to make a reappearance from 16h00, continuing until Monday morning.
• Monday’s Ambiguity: The power utility will stick to Stage 1 load shedding until 05h00, with plans for the remainder of the day yet to be defined.

Eskom remains vigilant, promising to “communicate any changes as soon as they occur,” with more updates regarding the upcoming week’s plan slated for Sunday.

A Week in Retrospect

It’s worth noting the commendable efforts of Eskom in maintaining lower load shedding stages over the past week. This performance uptick can be credited to a unit of Kusile resuming operations and reduced power demand.

However, the group’s summer projections show the need to confine unplanned outages below a threshold of 14,000MW to avoid spiraling into stage 4 outages or beyond. Currently, Eskom seems to be on track, abiding by this ‘best case scenario’.

An Expert Weighs In

Hilton Trollip, a renowned energy connoisseur, raised concerns during a Newzroom Afrika discussion. Reflecting on historical trends, he cautioned against overly relying on Eskom’s most optimistic predictions. The entity’s track record reveals a pattern of missing previously set targets. Trollip remarked, “You do not, as Eskom, put up a best-case scenario and expect credibility.”

He emphasized Eskom’s inconsistency in maintaining power equilibrium. The pendulum often swings between uninterrupted supply to even a daunting Stage 6 outage. The core of this unpredictability? Trollip pinpoints Eskom’s past mishandling of pivotal infrastructure projects, particularly at the Kusile and Medupi power plants. Given their historical challenges, the smooth reintegration of these units seems more of a hope than a certainty.

In Trollip’s closing remarks, he passionately stated, “They are not doing themselves, the country, or Eskom any favours by making these statements.”

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.