Loadshedding has once again been scheduled for between 9am to 11pm tonight country wide.

The struggling power utility has blamed “a shortage of capacity due to a number of generating units still out of service due to breakdowns.”

“In order to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout and having taken into account all the recovery efforts currently being implemented,” said Eskom Acting Group Chief Executive, Mr Jabu Mabuza, late last night.

Stanger Northern Grid (from Tinley Manor to Zinkwazi) will be off from 12pm to 2.30pm.

Ballito Southern Grid (Tinley Manor to Zimbali) will be off from 12pm to 2.30pm and again from 20pm to 10.30pm.

Tongaat‘s slot is between 8am and 10am (loadingshedding will therefore be from 9am to 10am).

Mandeni will be off from 2pm till 4.30pm and 10pm till 12.30am.

In a media statement in September Eskom denied claims of looming load shedding and assured its customers that there were no plans in place for load shedding over the summer months.

This followed a statement released by the Democratic Alliance on September 19, that load shedding was back on the cards.

“We have not communicated to any stakeholder that there will be load shedding,” Eskom said.

Eskom communicated its summer plan on September 4 at a media briefing, where the power entity indicated that while no load shedding was expected over summer, the risk remained as the system was still tight and vulnerable due to plant maintenance.

In the past few years the embattled state entity has been in the grips of an operational and financial crisis and has been unable to meet the nations power demands.

Understanding the different load-shedding stages, and how to prepare for them, is vital to helping households cope with the impact of the power cuts.

The four load shedding stages are on a sliding scale with Stage 1 being the least disruptive and Stage 4 allowing for longer, and more frequent power disruptions.

Here’s how the different loadshedding stages work:

Stage 1 allows for up to 1000 MW of the national load to be shed. It requires the least amount of load shedding, three times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or six times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

Stage 2 allows for up to 2000 MW of the national load to be shed. You will be scheduled for load shedding six times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or six times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

Stage 3 allows for up to 3000 MW of the national load to be shed. You will be scheduled for load shedding nine times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or nine times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

Stage 4 allows for up to 4000 MW of the national load to be shed. You will be scheduled for load shedding 12 times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or 12 times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

If more load needs to be shed than has been scheduled in Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 then National Control will instruct additional, unscheduled load shedding. This means you may be shed outside of your scheduled times.

To prevent a nationwide blackout, Eskom needs to maintain the national power grid at the international standard of 50Hz, and when the grid is under pressure with normal measures implemented, Eskom must reduce demand, as agreed with the National Energy Regulator (Nersa).

What to do during loadshedding 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/bis4VndpfU

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) October 16, 2019

Eskom continues to appeal to residents and businesses to use electricity sparingly throughout the day:

• Set air-conditioners’ average temperature at 23ºC
• Switch of your geysers over peak periods
• Use the cold water tap rather than using the geyser every time
• Set your swimming pool pump cycle to run twice a day, three hours at a time for optimal energy use.
• At the end of the day, turn off computers, copiers, printers and fax machines at the switch. Avoid stand-by or sleep mode.

To check your daily load shedding schedule, go onto loadshedding.eskom.co.za and type either your suburb/area into the quick search field.

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