‘Very difficult winter’ as stage 8 looms – Eskom
While Eskom says plans are in place to prevent a national blackout, South Africans should brace for prolonged and possibly higher stages of load-shedding.
The load-shedding outlook is bleak, Eskom says.
Stakeholders from the power utility this morning briefed the media on what they expect will happen this winter, and what stages of load-shedding are possible.
Eskom’s head of transmission Segomoco Scheppers says this will be a ‘very difficult winter’; he hinted that if breakdowns exceed 18 000MW, stage 8 (the highest possible stage on Eskom’s current contingency plan) could become a reality.
While the highest official stage to be implemented is stage six, in February the nation speculated that stage 7 was quietly implemented. This was denied by Eskom.
The talks of ‘advanced levels of load-shedding’ being added to the third revision of the National Rationalised Specifications (NRS048-9) Code of Practice has alarmed South Africans, but Eskom has stressed that these contingency plans are vital should further stages of load-shedding be needed to secure the national network.
Stage 6 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 this afternoon until 05:00 on Monday.
Thereafter, Stage 4 and 6 will be implemented during the week pic.twitter.com/D2hevHK9S2— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) May 14, 2023
Segomoco Scheppers: Winter Outlook pic.twitter.com/B9NBWQ6CRK
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) May 18, 2023
He adds that if the intervention measures are not fruitful, and if breakdowns increase significantly, stages 7 and 8 load-shedding might need to be implemented.
It was once again reiterated that load-shedding is implemented as a last resort and as a tool to avoid a grid collapse. The power utility emphasised that ‘increased load-shedding does not mean a greater risk of a national blackout’.
When asked by a member of the media if Eskom is being ‘conservative’ in its forecast and if load-shedding could go beyond stage 8 this winter, Eskom did not rule out the possibility, saying the forecast is dependent on ‘variables’.
Monde Bala, Group Executive Distribution: CALL TO ACTION for WINTER: Protect our electricity supply – we can reduce stages if we do our bit pic.twitter.com/4V5RFmpzI4
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) May 18, 2023
Watch the briefing:
Read original story on lowvelder.co.za
