Embattled power utility Eskom on Wednesday warned that load-shedding was expected to continue all day on Thursday. In a statement, Eskom said that it expected stage 2 load-shedding to last from 9am to 11pm.
“In order to protect the power system from a total collapse or blackout, and having taken into account all the recovery efforts currently being implemented, our prognosis for [Thursday] is that stage 2 rotational load-shedding will be implemented from 9am to 11pm. This requires that a total of 2,000MW be load-shed throughout the country,” said acting group executive Jabu Mabuza. The statement said that the rotational power cuts were needed because the electricity system had become “severely constrained”.
Mabuza said: “We understand the inconvenience that comes with load-shedding and want to assure our customers and South Africans at large that our objective is not to implement load-shedding; if necessary, to do so at minimal levels with as much predictability as possible.”
Eskom said that “unplanned breakdowns” were responsible for the latest bout of load-shedding. We wish to assure South Africans that we continue to double our efforts in order to restore secure energy supply,” the statement read.
In other news – Parents furious as load shedding strikes at least 30 matric exam centres
The extent of the impact had not yet been established nationally because the Education Department is still waiting for provinces to report back.
Parents and members of the public have expressed outrage at the effect that load shedding has had on matric exams across the country, with at least 30 centres in the Western Cape left in the dark on Wednesday morning. Read more
Source: Timeslive
