Following a tumultuous weekend, Eskom will launch South Africa into the new week with Stage 6 loadshedding.
UPDATE: Eskom confirmed, on Friday, 12 May 2023, that loadshedding will be reduced to Stage 3 until 16:00 on Saturday. “Thereafter, Stage 5 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 until 05:00 on Sunday.”
See the updated loadshedding schedule below.
Here’s the loadshedding schedule for week of Monday, 8 May 2023
In a statement, the power utility explained the hike in rotational blackouts were necessitated by “the delay of several units to return to service.”
While Eskom vowed to publish a further update “as soon as any significant changes occur,” the utility did warn that high stages of loadshedding, which, during certain periods of the day cut off electricity for four hours, will likely “persist throughout the week.”
This, Eskom explained, is despite the return to service of a unit each at Duvha, Lethabo and Medupi power stations.
“Over the past 24 hours a generation unit each at Majuba, Medupi and Tutuka power stations were taken out of service due to breakdowns. Furthermore, the delay in returning units to service at Arnot, Camden, Hendrina, Majuba, Matla and Tutuka power stations continue to add to the current capacity constraints,” Eskom revealed.
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 at 18:17 on Sunday, 7 May 2023.
- Eskom availability: 24 493MW
- Loadshedding: 4 715MW
- Total demand: 29 180MW
- Number of OCGTs and GTs utilised: 17
- Renewable gen: 828MW
- IPP availability (Dispatchable): 1 014MW
- RES – Wind: 806MW
- CSP: 22MW
As of Sunday, 7 May 2023, breakdowns amounted to:
- 19 333MW – up 1 631MW from Sunday, 30 April 2023
- 4 524MW – up 822MW from Sunday, 30 April 2023
Here is the official loadshedding schedule:
| Date | Morning Peak (05:00 – 16:00) | Evening Peak (16:00 – 05:00) |
| Monday 8 May 2023 | Stage 6* | Stage 6* |
| Tuesday 9 May 2023 | Stage 6 | Stage 6* |
| Wednesday 10 May 2023 | Stage 6 | Stage 6 |
| Thursday 11 May 2023 | Stage 6 | Stage 6 |
| Friday 12 May 2023 | Stage 6 | Stage 6* |
| Saturday 13 May 2023 | Stage 3* | Stage 5* |
| Sunday 14 May 2023 | Stage 4* | Stage 6* |
Readers from these metros can check the latest loadshedding schedule below: