JOHANNESBURG – Eskom, South Africa’s primary electricity supplier, is actively working to bring lost generating units back online amidst the ongoing Stage 6 load shedding, according to Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister in the Presidency responsible for electricity.
According to South African Government News Agency, during a media briefing on Friday, Dr. Ramokgopa acknowledged that the implementation of Stage 6 load shedding, which began at 12 pm today and is expected to last until Monday at 5 am, marks a significant challenge. This heightened level of load shedding was necessitated by the loss of five generating units over the past 24 hours, the need to replenish emergency reserves, and increased demand.
Dr. Ramokgopa expressed optimism about improving the situation, highlighting that additional capacity is expected soon. Unit 2 of the Kusile power station is slated to be operational by the end of the month, and Unit 5 at Kusile is anticipated to come online by the third week of December.
Eskom is currently dealing with approximately 14,590 megawatts (MW) of unplanned capacity loss factor (UCLF), along with vacuum losses amounting to about 807MW. Dr. Ramokgopa explained that the current situation, while challenging, is not unusual compared to the winter plan projections. He emphasized the importance of protecting the grid by not overusing reserves, leading to a reduction in the 4,600MW typically drawn from emergency reserves.
The preservation of these reserves is crucial for grid protection, according to the Minister. By limiting their use, Eskom aims to replenish them more effectively. This approach means that additional capacity, when available, will not be immediately accessible to consumers but will instead be used by Eskom for reserve replenishment.
Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom Group Executive for Generation, added that the demand on Friday was higher than expected, exceeding normal levels by 1,500MW. This increased demand, combined with low reserves, necessitated more intense stages of load shedding. Notably, the recent loss of generating units at Duvha, Majuba, and Lethabo power stations has exacerbated the situation.
The Minister reassured the public and stakeholders that efforts are ongoing in collaboration with Eskom to enhance the power supply situation and mitigate the challenges of load shedding.