Snow equals higher demand, Eskom shifts Stage 4 load shedding

Power utility Eskom has been forced to implement Stage 4 power cuts due to an increased demand level for power.

The power utility says high demand and the slight reduction in generation capacity have resulted in Stage 4 load-shedding between 1 pm and 5 am on Tuesday.

#LoadsheddingUpdate
Monday, 10 July 2023

Due to high demand and slight reduction in generation capacity, Stage 4 loadshedding will be implemented at 13:00 today until 05:00 on Tuesday.

Eskom will publish an update shortly.

We plead with the public to switch off…

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) July 10, 2023

Eskom pleads with the public to reduce demand and switch off no essential appliances.

As temperatures plummet with snow in several parts of the country, power electricity demand has increased which may signal higher shifts in load shedding stages this week.

While Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has reassured the country of no substantial impact of power cuts on the cards, with leeway allocated to help sail past cold temperatures, the country is expected to tighten its power demand in order to ensure lower stages of power cuts.

In April the country was left in the dark for more than six hours as Eskom implemented stage 6 due to failures in generating units, Tutuka, Kriel, Duvha and Kendal.

Shifting through stages 5 and 6, on an average of 6 000MW the power utility was roped into suspicions of a possible stage 7 load shedding schedule.

Harsh weather conditions were suspected to be a burden as Ramokgopa was appointed electricity Minister in an effort to close the gap needed to keep the country from prolonged outages.

In response to queries, Eskom said power cuts were aimed at keeping the country’s grid from total collapse although rolling blackouts were becoming a norm which frustrated many.

Load shedding remains as government and Eskom appeal to South Africans to do their part in lowering demand but no long-term solutions have been penned after former Eskom Head Andre De Ruyter’s exit.

The embattled utility is expected to experience imminent Winter strain as heater demands increase due to plummeting temperatures this week.

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