- Eskom issues warning on consumption
- May be forced to load shed
- 12,984MW lost due to breakdown of generation capacity
Severe weather conditions in some parts of South Africa have forced the state-owned power utility Eskom to warn of impending load shedding. Eskom has said the severe weather conditions and the loss of generation capacity might force the utility to implement load shedding. In a statement, Eskom says, unless there are no further generation capacity losses, it would be forced to load shed.
“The system is currently severely constrained, and it is anticipated that towards the evening peak, the system will come under additional pressure due to high electricity demand,” the State-owned entity explained in the statement.
Eskom appealed to consumers to reduce consumption between 4 pm and 10 pm to reduce the pressure on the grid system. Meanwhile, it said the breakdowns currently total 12,984MW, while planned maintenance is 2,924MW of capacity. “Any further significant loss of capacity would force Eskom to implement load shedding to protect the integrity of the system,” Eskom cautioned.
South Africa is currently experiencing icy and rainy conditions due to a succession of cold fronts expected to sweep across the country.