Eskom Warns of Possible Stage 4 Load Shedding Amid Emergency Reserve Shortages

The power utility, which has managed to avoid rolling blackouts for nearly 10 months, now faces a temporary setback that could see the implementation of Stage 4 load shedding over the weekend


Devdiscourse News Desk | Pretoria | Updated: 31-01-2025 17:11 IST | Created: 31-01-2025 17:11 IST
Eskom Warns of Possible Stage 4 Load Shedding Amid Emergency Reserve Shortages
Eskom has reassured the public that it is closely monitoring the situation and working to stabilize the generation fleet as quickly as possible. Image Credit: Twitter(@SAgovnews)
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  • South Africa

Eskom has issued a warning about the potential for load shedding at short notice due to several unexpected breakdowns at its power stations. The power utility, which has managed to avoid rolling blackouts for nearly 10 months, now faces a temporary setback that could see the implementation of Stage 4 load shedding over the weekend.

Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane explained that while significant progress has been made through the Energy Action Plan and Generation Recovery Plan, recent technical issues have strained the system.

“This is a potentially temporary setback. Load shedding is largely behind us due to the structural improvements in our generation fleet. However, over the past seven days, we have experienced several breakdowns that require extended repair times,” Marokane said.

According to Eskom, these breakdowns have forced the utility to rely heavily on emergency reserves, which are now critically low and need urgent replenishment. This situation raises the likelihood of rotational power cuts being implemented to prevent a complete collapse of the grid.

Current State of the Grid and Future Outlook

Eskom has reassured the public that it is closely monitoring the situation and working to stabilize the generation fleet as quickly as possible. The utility emphasized that its long-term strategies, including increased maintenance efforts and securing additional energy capacity, are showing positive results.

Energy analysts, however, caution that the power grid remains fragile and susceptible to unexpected failures, especially as South Africa heads into colder months when electricity demand is expected to rise.

Eskom urges the public to use electricity sparingly, particularly during peak hours, to help mitigate the risk of more severe load shedding stages. The utility is expected to provide further updates should the situation worsen.

Consumers are advised to keep an eye on Eskom’s official channels for real-time updates and prepare for possible power outages over the weekend.

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