Eskom confirm “high possibility” of load shedding for Sunday

Another series of unplanned breakdowns at Eskom’s power plants has put South Africa on edge once more. The broken energy provider looks set to implement load shedding for the second month in six weeks, after power outages came back with a vengeance in October.

Possibility of load shedding on Sunday 1 December

The system has been constrained for the best part of a week, but the issues – not yet specified by the firm – have taken almost 10 000 MW off the grid this weekend. Consumers are being urged to reduce their electricity use throughout the day, in a bid to ease the demand.

The @Eskom_SA has warned that the probability of #loadshedding remains high today due to unplanned breakdowns. The power utility says loadshedding will only be implemented if absolutely necessary, but it could be at short notice. #sabcnews

— SAfm news (@SAfmnews) December 1, 2019

Eskom may plunge us into darkness

In a written statement issued earlier, the utility confirmed that we are essentially one “unexpected shift” away from another round of rolling blackouts. Any implementation of a load shedding schedule – which reached Stage 2 in October – is likely to be dished out at short notice:

“With unplanned breakdowns at 9 550MW as at 08h00, the probability of load shedding remains, but will only be implemented if absolutely necessary. We continue to replenish diesel for our open cycle gas turbines and to increase water levels at the pumped storage schemes over the weekend.”

“Eskom wishes to remind customers that any unexpected shift, such as additional unplanned breakdowns, could result in load shedding at short notice.”

Eskom statement

Eskom are currently rudderless and without a CEO until January 2020. Andre de Ruyter is set to take charge, and he’s on a hiding to nothing with the enormous size of the task at hand. The SOE’s debt has ballooned above the R450 billion mark, and the unfathomable amount of money contributed to the struggles of SA’s economy.

Should any load shedding be implemented on Sunday, we will bring you any updates as we receive them