Eskom sees huge power demand drop as SA’s COVID-19 lockdown deepens

eskom load shedding on tuesday

The 21-day lockdown is placing many a company and individual in a tight spot financially, but for Eskom it seems that the power utility can finally breathe a little easier.

According to a statement published on Sunday, demand for power in South Africa is down by more than 7.5 GW, and it anticipates further decreases as the lockdown continues.

The drop is so massive that the utility’s currently taking some power plants off the grid in order to preserve them.

Bar any massive issues, it’s unlikely we’ll see any load shedding during the lockdown. However, the utility is also using this time to perform “short-term maintenance and other repairs” ahead of the country’s reawakening.

The lockdown, which is set to last three weeks, commenced on Friday 27 March.

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Feature image: Andy Walker/Memeburn

Andy Walker, former editor
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