Power supply is taking strain, says Eskom

DESPITE not implementing load shedding last night Eskom said its power supply remained under pressure.

The power utility said that despite there being a low probability of rotational load shedding during the day as a result of power station units being returned to the system, but the probability of rotational load shedding increased during the evening peak period from 5pm to 9pm due to the expected increase in demand.

“Should rotational load shedding be implemented it would be for a period up to four hours. Eskom will advise if rotational load shedding will be conducted in either stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 or stage 4, dependent on the capacity shortage,” Eskom said.

It said that load shedding was conducted as a measure of last resort to protect the power system from a total collapse. The wave of load shedding came as a result of acts of “intimidation and sabotage” at some of Eskom’s stations due to industrial action by labour unions. Eskom said prognosis indicated that the power system would take up to 10 days to recover from the industrial action

“The estimated 10-day prognosis for full restoration is due to the effects of the industrial action which interrupted continuous processes at the power plants. These processes have now to be cleared out and restarted which would take addiYET tional time,” it said.

Mayco member for informal settlements, water and waste services and energy, Xanthea Limberg, said residents would be informed of load shedding.

“We are monitoring the situation. It’s important to note that the reason why we have been able to evade load shedding last week was because of the storage of the Steenbras storage scheme,” she said.