Due to further generator failures, Eskom has escalated loadshedding to stage 4 rotational blackouts.
Eskom upgrades loadshedding to Stage 4
The power utility revealed that a number of generation units at Kendal, Duvha, Camden and Kusile power stations tripped, removing a significant amount of output to the grid.
In its updated schedule, Eskom has implemented stage 4 loadshedding from 10:00 on Wednesday until 05:00 on Friday 11 March 2022. Thereafter, the electricity provider noted, rotational outages should be decreased to stage 2 until 05:00 on Monday 14 March 2022.
The state-owned entity revealed while four units have since been returned to service, in the midst of these breakdowns, “these units still need to ramp up to full output, which necessitates a high usage of generation reserves today.”
“This being the fourth day of extremely high diesel usage, the emergency reserves are being depleted faster than can be replenished,” the power utility revealed.
The only logical decision, Eskom added, was to allow stage 4 loadshedding to “replenish the emergency reserves and continue to manage the system safely.”
“Eskom would like to apologise for the implementation of loadshedding, and will continuously review the situation and act appropriately as circumstances change,” Eskom said.
The power utility will hold an emergency media briefing at 10:00 on Wednesday morning where more information will be detailed about the extent of South Africa’s energy crisis.
Here is Eskom’s full statement:
#POWERALERT1
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) March 9, 2022
Due to further failures of generation units, Stage 4 loadshedding will be implemented from 09:00 today until 05:00 on Friday in order to manage the emergency reserves pic.twitter.com/OMmqjLKIUX