Eskom ends load-shedding early

Eskom suspended load-shedding at 10:00 on Sunday due to the recovery of more than 3,000MW of generation capacity – one day earlier than it initially expected. 

It added that it aims to restore an additional 4,091MW of capacity by Monday.

“While baseload capacity remains constrained, our generation recovery plan is addressing this challenge. The dedicated efforts of our highly skilled staff remain unwavering,” the utility said. 

Eskom stated that coal operations at Kusile Power stations have reached optimal levels and that the units that were out of service on Friday are back online. 

Furthermore, Koeberg Unit 2 is in the process of being recovered, and Eskom reassured the public that it remains safe.

Eskom aims to restore an additional 4,091MW of capacity by Monday and maintains that load-shedding is largely behind them due to structural improvements in the generation fleet. 

The utility said that its Summer Outlook, published on 26 August 2024, remains unchanged, with its winter outlook set to be published later this month.

“We reiterate our commitment to ensuring that South Africa is in no way returning to the levels of load-shedding that we experienced in 2023,” said Eskom’s Group Executive Generation, Bheki Nxumalo.

“Two years into delivering the generation recovery plan that will bring an end load-shedding, we are at a challenging time, and the full force of our highly skilled engineering resources are deployed and focussed.”

“We have had some delays in returning units that previously tripped back to the grid, as well as to the return of three units that have been on the longer-term outage that will bring back 2,500 MW to the grid, which will happen over the coming weeks.”