Eskom CEO Dan Morakane has confirmed that South Africa is at high risk of loadshedding this weekend, following two major unit breakdowns earlier this week.
Eskom CEO warns loadshedding could return this weekend
Speaking before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy, Morakane stated that Eskom has been relying heavily on emergency reserves to sustain the power grid but now needs to replenish those reserves, which could necessitate the return of rolling blackouts.
The Eskom CEO did not specify which power stations experienced the failures, but he acknowledged that technicians are working around the clock to bring the units back online.
However, with Eskom’s reserves under strain, the utility is expected to issue an official power alert confirming the risk of loadshedding.
“This week has been quite tough,” Morakane said.
“We’ve had multiple unit trips of two big stations early in the week, and we are busy trying to get those back online over the weekend. We’ve had to rely on our reserves to keep ourselves going, but we need to replenish those reserves over this weekend. As such, we will shortly be issuing a note that we are at high risk of loadshedding after 10 months of uninterrupted power supply.”
Eskom’s FY2024 grid performance showed a decline in plant availability, with figures dropping to 54.56%, down from 56.03% the previous year. 15,500MW remained unavailable, contributing to 329 days of loadshedding in 2023, despite the utility burning through R33.9 billion in diesel to keep the lights on.
Energy experts predicted loadshedding would return
Interestingly, Eskom’s latest admission comes a month after energy analysts warned that loadshedding was likely to return in early 2025, a prediction that Eskom strongly dismissed at the time.
A report from advisory firm Cresco indicated at the time that January 2025 would be a critical test for Eskom’s ability to maintain stability, with experts warning that ageing infrastructure, increased demand, and unplanned outages could force the return of loadshedding.
“The new year will test Eskom’s ability to sustain its progress,” Energy Central stated in its latest report.
“Surges in post-holiday demand, coupled with the ongoing challenges of unplanned outages and unexpected incidents, could strain the power supply.”
Recent power station incidents, such as the Matla Power Station steam pipe rupture, have further exposed the fragility of the system, despite Eskom’s efforts to improve grid performance.
While Eskom previously dismissed concerns that rolling blackouts would return, this week’s unit failures appear to have brought back the reality of power cuts sooner than anticipated.
If the utility is unable to restore its reserves in time, South Africans should brace for the return of loadshedding as early as this weekend.