Attempt to stabilize electricity service in South Africa

Pretoria, Nov 25 (Prensa Latina) After a sudden return to the most severe stages of blackouts in South Africa this week, the national electricity company, Eskom, is struggling to replenish generating capacity and reduce the daily power cuts.

November 25, 2023
09:46

In this regard, the Minister of the Presidency for Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, classified the return to the so-called Stage 6 (localism for power cuts) as a significant setback.

This implies the availability in the national power grid of about six thousand megaWatts (MW) less each day, from the four thousand MW deficit that was experienced for days.

According to Eskom, the measure was applied due to lack of generation together with the need to replenish emergency reserves.

“We are very sorry that, due to the shortage of generation capacity and emergency reserves, the load disconnection of Stage 6 will be implemented from 12:00 noon today, the company said in X the day before.

By the next two weeks, Ramokgopa said, Unit 2 of the Kusile power plant is expected to come on line and, somewhat later, Unit 5.

jrr/arm/mem/mv