Here’s why Eskom has been implementing lower stages of loadshedding

Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has attributed Eskom's current trend of lower loadshedding stages to the power utility's improved generation over the past few weeks.

Eskom said this week load-shedding will be suspended during the day and evening outages will be kept at stage 3 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Last week the power utility suspended load-shedding from 5am to 4pm and implemented stage 3 during peak hours.

Speaking during a virtual media briefing on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan (EAP), Ramokgopa said the reduced stages of loadshedding was due to low energy demand.

He said demand was lower than what had been projected in Eskom’s winter plan.

“June 2 was momentous in our journey to ensure we address the issue of load-shedding. We reached a 60% energy availability factor (EAF). The last time we reached a 60% EAF was on September 2 2022,” said Ramokgopa.

“When we started in May, the improvement in relation to the EAF was about seven percentage points. On average, one percentage point increase represents 477MW. If you have a seven percentage points increase, you are breaching the 3,000MW of additional generation, so essentially we are talking about three stages of load-shedding.”

Ramokgopa said there has been a reduction in unplanned losses to less than 16,000MW from more than 18,000MW.

He said planned maintenance has been reduced to about 2,500MW.

“Generation available from wind power has increased due to weather conditions in the coastal regions. Peak demand is averaging less than 29,000MW, compared to 30,000MW projected in the first week of June.

“If we can keep up energy savings from demand side measures, we can sustain this trend and reduce the severity of load-shedding,” he said.

This week's reduced stages of load-shedding was due to continued improvement in available generation capacity as a result of three units that were previously on outage being returned to service.

“Breakdowns are at 16,115MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3,766MW. Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit each at Arnot and Kendal power stations were returned to service,” Eskom said.

“In the same period a generation unit each at Kriel and Hendrina power stations were taken out of service due to breakdowns. The further delays in returning to service a generating unit at Grootvlei, Hendrina, Majuba and Tutuka power stations are contributing to capacity constraints.”

Eskom said teams were working around the clock to return these units to service.

“We thank those who heed the call to use electricity sparingly and efficiently, including switching off geysers from 5pm to 9pm, as this is helping to alleviate pressure on the system.”

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