South Africans are expected to wake up to no load shedding on Saturday morning for the first time in at least three weeks following the suspension of load shedding.

State power utility Eskom has underwent several weeks of challenges with breakdowns and slow returns to service at multiple power stations causing severe constraints to the power grid and high stages of load shedding.

The power producer now says that it will suspend load shedding from 5am on Saturday.

“While the generation capacity constraints persist, the suspension of load shedding is possible due to the anticipated lower weekend demand as well as adequate levels of emergency generation reserves,” the power utility said in a statement.

By Friday afternoon, at least 5512MW of capacity was offline due to planned maintenance with a further 13 484MW out due to breakdowns.

“Since [Thursday] afternoon, a generation unit each at Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, Kendal, Kriel, Majuba and Tutuka power stations have returned to service. A generation unit at Duvha power station was taken offline for repairs.

“Load shedding is implemented only as a last resort in view of the shortage of generation capacity and the need to attend to breakdowns,” Eskom said. 

Source: South African Government News Agency