Eskom implements Stage 6 loadshedding and warns it could get worse with “difficult winter” ahead for South Africans

South Africa’s newly appointed Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has warned of an “exceptionally difficult winter” if Eskom’s grid remains as constrained as it currently is. The power utility needs approximately 66,000 megawatts to make up for the deficit between demand and supply, if South Africans are to avoid a dark and cold winter.

Eskom implemented Stage 6 load shedding from 4pm today. It will last until 5am with Stage 5 to be implemented from 5am to 4pm… until further notice.

This pattern will be repeated daily until further notice, Eskom said. The power utility reported a shortage of generation capacity on Wednesday as demand ramped up following a decrease over the Easter long weekend.

Over the past 24 hours two generation units were returned to service at Kriel Power Station. Eskom added, in a statement:

“In the same period, a generating unit at Duvha Power Station was taken offline for repairs. The delays in returning a unit to service at Camden, Kendal, Lethabo, Medupi and Tutuka power stations have contributed to the capacity constraints.

“Similarly, the increase in demand after the long weekend and the re-opening of schools has put additional strain on the power generating system.

“We thank all South Africans who continue using electricity sparingly and efficiently in helping to alleviate the pressure on the power system.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, breakdowns amounted to some 16 772MW of energy being offline with a further 5807MW offline due to maintenance.

With Ramokgopa doubling down on “unreliable” coal-fired power stations, the DA’s Kevin Mileham, Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, says:

“Renewable energy generation in South Africa will struggle to take off as long as the ANC continues to stand in the way of communities that are trying to free themselves from Eskom loadshedding. Just yesterday, the DA carried out an oversight visit to the town of Frankfort in the Free State where Eskom is trying to stop solar farms from supplying the community.”

The DA says the ANC is making a mistake to keep trying to extend the life of coal stations (at a cost to taxpayers), and that they will never meet SA’s current energy demand.

“That ship has sailed and as long as Ramokgopa and his ANC colleagues continue to beat this drum, South Africa will continue to be in the dark for years with devastating economic consequences,” the DA said in a statement on Wednesday.

The DA believes the solution is “a deregulated, competitive, reliable and affordable energy supply to end loadshedding. Several Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects are currently in the pipeline and every effort should be made to ensure that adequate support is provided for their connection to the grid in the shortest time possible.”

Sources: DA, SANews.gov.za