Partial Respite from Load Shedding: New Eskom Schedule Released

South African power corporation Eskom has ushered in a minor respite for its customers this week, suspending load shedding for a significant part of the day until further notice.

The New Load Shedding Regime

Eskom, buoyed by a steady generation capacity, will continue to suspend load shedding from midnight to 4 p.m., following which Stage 3 load shedding will be enforced from 4 p.m. until midnight.

The new daily schedule is as follows:

• Suspended: 00h00 to 16h00
• Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00

This cycle will persist daily until another announcement. Any major amendments to this schedule will be duly reported by Eskom.

The Struggle with Generation Units

On Friday (30 June), Eskom reported the unplanned exit of a generation unit at Camden, Kendal, and two units at Matla power stations due to malfunctions.

“The delay in returning to service a generating unit at Tutuka Power Station is contributing to the current capacity constraints,” the power utility stated.

Eskom assured that its teams are working diligently to bring the affected units back to service in the coming days.

The Impact on Load Shedding Trend and Warning against Complacency

The load shedding suspension during daylight hours over the past three weeks has positively influenced South Africa’s load shedding trendline, gradually manifesting in more optimistic long-term trend data.

However, energy experts caution against any complacency, stressing that load shedding still stands. The government and Eskom echoed this sentiment, urging South Africans to continue using power judiciously.