Eskom sheds load from grid
Low diesel, plant hobble utility
Stage two rotational loadshedding was still in operation throughout the country yesterday due to capacity constraints‚ Eskom said.
The electricity parastatal implemented stage 1 loadshedding on Saturday morning. That was later upgraded to stage 2 due to a shortage of capacity as a result of generating units not returning to service as planned and due to an additional loss of a generating unit.
In a statement yesterday‚ Eskom said: “In our latest update yesterday‚ we communicated that due to the high unavailability of plant‚ Eskom was unable to build the necessary reserves resulting in high probability of Stage 2 rotational loadshedding from 10am this morning. “However‚ due to a further shortage of generation as a result of units that have not returned to service as expected‚ Stage 2 rotational loadshedding is implemented from 8am and is likely to continue until 10pm.
“Eskom would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and uncertainty caused by this. “Generation plant continues to be out on planned maintenance (about 5‚000 MW) and there is a higher than expected number of units (currently at about 10‚000 MW) on unplanned maintenance due to technical faults.” Cahora Bassa hydropower plant was also still supplying 700 MW less to the grid as a result of a damaged transmission line‚ which had occurred late on Wednesday‚ the electricity provider said. “Over and above these challenges‚ we are experiencing low diesel reserves due to the continued pressure on the national grid resulting in excessive usage of open-cycle gas turbines. In addition‚ the need to build emergency water and diesel resources to limit the loadshedding possibility or magnitude thereof in the following week also remains. “Customers are reminded to treat all electrical points as live during loadshedding.”
It added that loadshedding was being conducted rotationally as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout.