Update: Power utility Eskom says that stage 4 load shedding will be in effect until further notice. This is due to higher than anticipated demand and failure of some generating units, it said. The group intended to move between stage 2 and stage 4 load shedding throughout the weekend, but the previously announced schedule is no longer applicable.
Breaking from the trend of the past two weeks, Eskom will ramp up load shedding to stage 4 this weekend, with the lowest level planned being stage 2 on Sunday.
Load shedding was pushed to stage 4 at 13:11 on Friday (31 March) due to higher-than-anticipated demand. This will continue until 05h00 on Saturday morning.
Thereafter, stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from 05h00 until 16h00 on Saturday, followed by stage 4 load shedding until 05h00 on Sunday. At 05h00 on Sunday, stage 2 load shedding
will be implemented until 16h00.
Then stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from 16h00 on Sunday until 16h00 on Monday.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday, 31 March
Saturday, 1 April
- Stage 4: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage 3: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 4: 16h00 to 00h00
Sunday, 2 April
- Stage 4: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage 2: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00
Monday, 3 April
- Stage 3: 00h00 to 16h00
- Stage 4: 16h00 to 00h00
Breakdowns have increased to 15,388MW of generating capacity, while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance has increased to 7,169MW.
Over the past 24 hours two generation units were returned to service at Lethabo and Medupi power stations.
In the same period, a generating unit each at Hendrina, Matimba and two units at Matla power stations were taken offline for repairs. The delays in returning a unit to service at Camden, Kriel and Tutuka power stations have contributed to the capacity constraints.
Schedules
For people living in the major metros, load shedding schedules are available here:
For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.
Smartphone users can also download the app EskomSePush to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, as well as the times the area you are in will be off.
Read: Ramaphosa promises light at the end of the tunnel for load shedding
