Eskom Warns of Stage 2 Load Shedding To 'Replenish' Emergency Generation Reserves
- Eskom confirmed in a statement that it will be implementing Stage 2 load shedding from 9 pm on Thursday, 7 October
- The embattled power generator said the power cuts come as maintenance needs to be carried out on its emergency generation reserves
- Eskom warned that load shedding would continue into the weekend if its emergency power reserves are not satisfactory
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Power utility Eskom has announced its intention to implement Stage 2 load shedding from tonight due to maintenance-related concerns.
The planned electricity cuts will persist until 5 am on Friday with the power utility stating important work needs to be carried out on its emergency generation reserves which have been depleted.
Source: UGC
In a statement released earlier on Thursday, Eskom said the load shedding cycle will carry over to the same time frame on Friday and Saturday. Eskom has not implemented load shedding since 22 July.
"Emergency [power] reserves have been depleted faster than expected due to further breakdowns of a generating unit each at Kriel and Tutuka power stations today," read a statement.
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"Delays in returning generating units at Tutuka, Grootvlei and Kendal have also contributed to the depletion of emergency reserves."
The embattled power supplier, which again urged households to lower electricity usage, gave the additional warning that reduction will spill over into the weekend if the said emergency reserves are not at operating optimum.
Reports of explosion at Eskom's Medupi power station, several treated
Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Eskom's Medupi power plant in Lephalale, Limpopo experienced an explosion in August.
The incident is said to have occurred at the station's unit four on Sunday night with emergency services attending to several employees for shock. However, no injuries were reported, according to News24.
Additional reporting by SABC News noted that all employees at the plant have been accounted for. Further, it is believed the incident caused unit 5 to trip but the coal-fired power station's other four generating units are said to be in operation.
In the statement, the power utility said the explosion happened just before 11 pm. The immediate vicinity was cordoned off following the blast and once it has been declared safe, inspections will start to try and ascertain the cause of the explosion.
"Eskom will update the public on developments, as well as to what extent will this unfortunate incident impact the national electricity grid," the statement read in part.
Taxpayers will suffer if Eskom fails to resolve tariff hikes dispute with Nersa
In other news, Briefy News previously reported that Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) continue to go head to head about the increase of electricity tariffs.
Nersa has recently rejected Eskom's proposal to increase tariffs in South Africa, however, the power utility says if tariffs do not go higher then taxpayers will have to cover the shortfall.
The power utility estimates that the annual shortfall will be R300 billion if Eskom is unable to charge higher fees for electricity, according to a report by MyBroadband.
General Manager of Regulations at Eskom Hasha Tlhotlha-Lemaje said the utility made its application for tariff increases in June this year.
However, Nersa rejected the application on the basis that Eskom used a methodology set to expire in March 2022 to determine new tariffs.
Source: Briefly News
