Photo by: Creamer Media
Power utility Eskom said the risk of load-shedding remained high on Wednesday, especially for the evening peak period from 5pm to 9pm, due to a number of its generating units being out on maintenance and possibly not being back in time to meet the evening peak period.
"We encourage residents and businesses to please use electricity sparingly to ease the demand of electricity. Please switch off geysers as well as all non-essential lighting and electricity appliances to assist in reducing demand," Eskom said.
Eskom said it would advise if load-shedding will be conducted in either stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 or stage 4, dependent on the capacity shortage.
Stage 1 requires 1000MW to be rotationally load-shed nation-wide, stage 2 requires 2000MW, stage 3 requires 3000MW and stage 4 calls for up to 4000MW to be rotationally load-shed nationally at a given period. Load-shedding is conducted rotationally as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout.