The Western Cape may experience rolling blackouts from next month when electricity consumption peaks with the onset of winter, the Cape Times reported on Wednesday.
Its website said Eskom warned consumers on Tuesday that the province was at present avoiding load-shedding blackouts ”by the skin of its teeth”.
Eskom officials said if consumers did not cut electricity consumption this winter, it would be forced into load shedding. This would entail be power cuts on a rotational basis for up to two hours at a time across the province.
There was a likelihood of rolling blackouts until the end of July, by which time both nuclear reactors at the Koeberg power station would be fully operational again.
Until then there would be a shortfall of 300MW to 400MW in the morning and evening peak demand periods in June and July.
Philip Wahl, Eskom’s acting regional engineering manager, told reporters that people in the Western Cape should not become complacent.
”We are just missing load-shedding by the skin of our teeth every day. From the first week in June there will be a serious problem. We have to make plans every day to avert load-shedding.”
A second-hand rotor from France has been installed at Koeberg to replace the one that was damaged by a loose bolt. The unit will be running at full capacity by the end of the month.
Koeberg’s second unit will then shut down for refuelling and maintenance, and will come into operation again at the end of July.
Until then, the province is vulnerable to blackouts. – Sapa