Power failures could be expected between 5pm and 10pm on Thursday due to technical problems at power stations, Eskom announced.
”About 16% of Eskom’s installed capacity is currently not available due to planned maintenance, unplanned outages, and load losses.”
The utility said any additional technical problems that may arise during the Thursday evening peak period would compel Eskom to introduce emergency power cuts.
”Emergency load shedding remains a measure of last resort after Eskom has utilised all available resources, including gas-fired and hydroelectric generating plants, and after existing demand market participation agreements with large industrial customers have been utilised.”
Eskom said in the event of power failuress on Thursday night, it would cut off areas according to its previously drawn-up schedules available on their website.
”Eskom is appealing to all South Africans to intensify their drive to save electricity during tonight’s [Thursday’s] peak period.”
Eskom said all consumers were urged to continue treating connections as live and recommend that during the power failures all appliances be switched off.
Earlier on Thursday, Eskom said it had interrupted supplies to aluminium smelters late on Wednesday, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The utility said this occurred as colder weather boosted demand and six power plants required repairs.
Eskom’s demand-side general manager Andrew Etzinger told the public broadcaster of Eskom’s installed capacity of 40 274 megawatts, 6 156 megawatts was out of service.
This left 34 118 megawatts available and Etzinger said they expected
the, demand to peak at 33 567.
Six coal-fired plants had generator units out of service because of breakdowns, including boiler-tube leaks, and scheduled maintenance work. – Sapa