Loadshedding schedule for week of Monday, 15 May 2023

Following a tumultuous period of rampant blackouts, Eskom will launch this week’s loadshedding schedule with a rotation of Stages 4 and 6.

UPDATE: Stage 5 loadshedding has been in effect since 16:00 on Thursday, 18 May 2023. Eskom revealed in an impromptu statement that the lower loadshedding stage will be in place until Friday morning. Take a look at the adjusted weekend loadshedding schedule below.

See the updated loadshedding schedule below.

Here’s the loadshedding schedule for week of Monday, 15 May 2023

The embattled power utility explained in a statement that from Monday, 15 May 2023, Stage 4 loadshedding will be in effect during daytime peak periods (05:00 – 16:00), while in the evenings (16:00 – 05:00), rotational outages will be hiked to Stage 6.

Capacity constraints continue to plague the national electricity supplier who, on Sunday, reported unplanned breakdowns amounted to more than 18 016MW, despite a single generation unit at Kriel Power Station returning to service in the last 24 hours,

“In the same period, two other generation units at Kriel and a unit at Matla power stations were taken out of service due to breakdowns. In addition, the delay in returning units to service at Arnot, Camden, Kendal and two units each at Hendrina and Tutuka power stations continue to add to the current capacity constraints,” Eskom explained.

The power utility assured South Africans that “the team is working around the clock to ensure that generating units are returned to service as soon as possible.”

Here’s a snapshot of Eskom’s energy availability, as reported on the evening of Tuesday, 16 May 2023.

Eskom availability: 26 787MW
Loadshedding: 6 302MW
Total demand: 33 657MW
Number of OCGTs and GTs utilised: 8
Renewable gen: 855MW
IPP availability (Dispatchable): 1 014MW
RES – Wind: 531MW
CSP: 324MW

As of Thursday, 18 May 2023, breakdowns amounted to:

16 369MW – down 1 647MW from Sunday, 14 May 2023
3 987MW – down 618MW from Sunday, 14 May 2023

Here is the official loadshedding schedule:

Date	Morning Peak (05:00 – 16:00)	Evening Peak (16:00 – 05:00)
Monday 15 May 2023	Stage 4	Stage 6
Tuesday 16 May 2023	Stage 4	Stage 6
Wednesday 17 May 2023	Stage 4	Stage 6
Thursday 18 May 2023	Stage 4	Stage 5*
Friday 19 May 2023	Stage 4*	Stage 5*
Saturday 20 May 2023	Stage 3*	Stage 4*
Sunday 21 May 2023	Stage 1*	Stage 4*

*Loadshedding schedule subject to change at short notice.

Readers from these metros can check the latest loadshedding schedule below: