By Dylan Bettencourt
- Eskom says it is cutting power again because of delays and breakdowns that left the grid under pressure.
- The power utility says things are still better than last winter, even with the latest problems.
Stage 2 load shedding is back, and it’s going to last for a few days.
Eskom said on Tuesday that the power cuts will happen during peak times, from 4pm to 10pm, and will continue until Thursday.
The power utility says it needs to protect the grid because it doesn’t have enough electricity.
Eskom was hit by two problems at once. It could not bring back 3,120MW of power from planned maintenance. Then, another 1,385MW suddenly broke down.
That pushed total unplanned breakdowns above 13,000MW — which Eskom says is too high.
“The delays, along with the latest breakdowns, match the risk scenarios we warned about in our Winter 2025 Outlook,” Eskom said.
The grid is especially weak right now. Eskom has just finished major maintenance work. That will help in the long run, but it makes the system fragile for now.
Even with these problems, Eskom says this winter is still better than past years.
It says there has been less load shedding compared to last winter. It also says teams are working hard and emergency reserves are ready if needed.
Last week, Eskom said load shedding would only happen if breakdowns rose above 13,000MW. If they went above 15,000MW, stage 2 could last up to 21 days — much better than the worst case last year, which was stage 5.
Eskom’s Group CEO Dan Marokane said the company is now focused on improving how it works. A new plan called the “Operational Excellence Programme” has started. It includes stricter checks on workers and better control inside Eskom.
“We’re addressing delays urgently,” said Marokane. “We’re serious about building on the progress we’ve already made.”
Eskom said 96% of its power stations were working in the last financial year. That is a huge jump from just 9% the year before.
The utility said it will keep watching the grid closely and give updates to the public.
Pictured above: Eskom power station.
Image source: File
