Photo by: Duane Daws
Power utility Eskom said it would implement stage 1 of load-shedding on Thursday from 16:00 to 22:00.
“This is due to increased electricity demand and a shortage of generation capacity resulting from technical faults at some of our power station units,” Eskom said.
“Eskom would like to assure customers that load-shedding is implemented as a necessary measure to protect the power system and to ensure that maintenance is carried out in order to guarantee that our supply of electricity can be maintained in the long term.”
Eskom warned that any unexpected changes on the “vulnerable and constrained” power system could lead to a change in the load-shedding stage at short notice.
It called on consumers to consider alternative ways of keeping warm in the current cold weather conditions across the country.
Stage 1 load-shedding meant that there was a shortage of 1 000 MW. Stage 2 would be implemented when there is a shortage of 2 000 MW and Stage 3 used to be when there was a shortage of 3 000 MW.