While load shedding has been suspended, it will be implemented again on Monday night.

Eskom implemented Stage 2 load shedding at the weekend due to breakdowns, numerous trips and delays in returning previously broken down units to service.

The power utility will implement load shedding on Monday and Tuesday night at 9pm until 5am.

“Eskom has made some progress in replenishing the emergency generation reserves. However, due to the loss of Koeberg Unit 1, we anticipate the need to utilise emergency reserves extensively during the next few days to avoid load shedding. In order to achieve this, Stage 2 load shedding will be required during Monday and Tuesday nights in order to replenish the emergency reserves for the following day,” the utility said.

The entity said the trip at Koeberg power station – a nuclear power station – was “as a result of a fault on a feed water pump” and the plant was shutdown in accordance with safety protocols.

“There are no nuclear safety concerns on the reactor side of the plant, which is ready to be restarted once the feed water pump fault has been resolved. The investigation into the feed water pump fault is in progress.

Source: South African Government News Agency