Pretoria - Power utility Eskom said its technicians were working around the clock to bring units back online after plunging the country to Stage 6 power cuts.
This comes after the ailing utility announced on Friday that Stage 6 load shedding would be implemented until further notice saying that there were extended delays in returning some generation units into service.
The utility said that there were four units that were taken offline for repairs, and four more were delayed in returning to service.
“Eskom continues to drive generation recovery initiatives which are aimed at preventing the current performance from deteriorating in the short term and improving the overall performance of the generation fleet in the long term.”
Even though the affected units are restored, Eskom said the power system remains under severe pressure and there is a high possibility that load shedding would continue to be implemented at varying stages.
“The cold front expected this weekend is anticipated to further increase the demand for electricity, adding to the capacity constraints, especially at evening peak hours from 17:00 until 21:00.
“This can be alleviated if all consumers switch off heating and high consumption appliances during the peak hours,” Eskom said in a statement.
Earlier, Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the utility was cautioning the public that the system remains constrained and that changes to stages may be required at short notice.
“Eskom will continue to adjust the stage of load shedding depending on the level of breakdowns, and load shedding is implemented as a last resort to maintain the stability of the national power system.
“Therefore, we appeal to the public to continue assisting in limiting the impact of load shedding by reducing the usage of electricity and switching off heating and charging appliances at evening peak hours (5pm to 9pm),” Mokwena said.
IOL