Eskom has confirmed that loadshedding remains suspended for the weekend starting Friday, 14 June 2024.
Weekend loadshedding schedule starting Friday, 14 June 2024
This marks the 79th consecutive day without loadshedding, a significant milestone in maintaining a stable power supply. The last time South Africa experienced such an extended suspension was from 23 July 2021 to 6 October 2021.
The current state of the power system shows notable improvements.
Unplanned outages have averaged around 12,000 MW, well below the anticipated 15,500 MW, allowing Eskom to keep loadshedding at bay.
This success is attributed to the strategic utilisation of peaking stations, including Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs), which help manage high electricity demand during morning and evening peaks.
Eskom’s diesel usage remains significantly lower than last year, and planned maintenance is being conducted as scheduled, with 4,986 MW currently under maintenance.
Additionally, Eskom plans to return 2,290 MW of generating capacity to service by Monday, 17 June 2024.
Here’s a look at the provisional weekend loadshedding schedule starting Friday, 14 June 2024:
Date | 05:00 – 16:00 | 16:00 – 20:00 | 20:00 – 00:00 | 00:00 – 05:00 |
Fri 14 June 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
Sat 15 June 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
Sun 16 June 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
Winter 2024 outlook
The winter 2024 outlook is promising due to continued improvements in Eskom’s generation performance.
The Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) has decreased to 27.69% from 35.5% in the same period last year, representing a 7.81% improvement.
This reduction in unplanned outages has increased the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) to 61.29%, a significant rise from 53.7% last year.
Eskom’s strategic use of OCGTs has also contributed to maintaining power stability. From 1 April to 13 June 2024, Eskom spent R2.29 billion on OCGTs, producing 328.43 GWh.
This expenditure is 74% less than the previous year, where R7.84 billion was spent to produce 1,280.52 GWh. The OCGT load factor for this period was 5.42%, compared to 21.12% last year.
Despite these positive developments, Eskom urges customers to use electricity responsibly. Network overloading due to electricity theft and illegal connections remains a concern, particularly as temperatures drop and demand increases.
Eskom advises customers to reduce consumption and ensure their electricity is legally connected to prevent network overloading and potential load reduction.