Eskom will carry out countrywide rolling load-shedding on Monday because of a rise in demand due to cold weather and after four generators tripped.
The power failures, the first since February 4, are likely to continue until Thursday, but would not affect large industrial customers, who are operating with about 90% of their normal power requirements, said Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger.
”Two generators are expected back in service during the course of today, and another two later this week,” Etzinger said. ”So we can expect a tight week to say the least.”
Most consumers, apart from large industrial companies, would experience an electricity interruption of about two-and-a-half hours on Monday, Etzinger said.
The power failures would continue until the Easter long weekend. Etzinger said there was unlikely to be load-shedding over the long weekend as businesses shut for the holiday.
Eskom said on Thursday the country’s electricity grid, which almost collapsed in late January, had stabilised but remained vulnerable.
”This is a system condition which has arisen at very short notice, and was unforeseen,” Etzinger said. – Reuters