Power utility Eskom says there will be no load shedding during day time this weekend. Picture Leon Lestrade/Independent Newspapers
Eskom has announced there will be no daytime load shedding this weekend.
The power utility said this was due to the expectdd return to service of additional generating units over the weekend.
As such, Stage 2 load shedding is expected until 5am on Saturday morning, but there will be no load shedding between 5am and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Eskom said however, that Stage 2 load shedding between 4pm and 5am would continue throughout the weekend.
“Eskom will closely monitor the power system and provide an update for the week ahead on Sunday aftemoon.
“Unplanned outages have further reduced to 13 921MW of generating capacity, while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance is at 6 831 MW.
“Eskom power station general managers and their teams continue to work diligently to ensure that additional generating capacity is recovered by bringing units on unplanned outages, and planned maintenance back to service.
“A total of 2 560MW of generating capacity is anticipated to be returned to service by Monday.
“Eskom's evening peak demand tonight is 25 095MW,” said the Eskom media desk.
Recently, new Eskom chief executive Dan Marokane assumed his new role on Friday.
He was appointed Eskom CEO in December last year.
A chemical engineer by profession, Marokane is a career engineer who has over 20 years senior leadership experience and he holds an MBA.
He had previously worked at Eskom before he was suspended for apparently taking an ethical stand against State Capture.
Meanwhile, in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s recently unveiled budget, the power utility made a loss of R24 billion last year.
Godongwana said they were determined to reform the sector so that it could result in long term energy security.
“We took the necessary decisions in the past five years and these are bearing fruit”.
He said working with the ministers of energy, electricity and public enterprises, they would implement a recovery plan.
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