'There shouldn't be load shedding in the first place': Ramokgopa apologises for power cuts

MINISTER of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and power utility Eskom have apologised to South Africans for the implementation of load shedding that hit South Africa from Friday.

The DFA previously reported that Stage 3 load shedding was implemented from 2pm on Friday. The dreaded power interruptions are expected to last until 5am on Monday.

The decision to unleash load shedding follows a 98% availability of power supply, affected by a 2,700 MW loss over the past 14 hours.

On Saturday, Ramokgopa led a media briefing in Tshwane, where he issued apologies for the load shedding.

“I really want to start by, again, just conveying my sincere apology to the rest of the country for the gross inconvenience caused by load shedding,” said Ramokgopa while addressing journalists to provide an update on the status of South Africa’s electricity generation performance.

“I have made the point previously that we should never be accustomed to load shedding. It is an anomaly and something we are working very hard to ensure that we are able to liquidate - both as Eskom and as a country - because it is going to stunt the potential for growth and is going to undermine the growth story that the president articulated during the occasion of the State of the Nation Address.”

“I really want to say I am exceptionally disappointed about the events that have happened. In the past 30 days or so, in February we came again on the back of some failures at Lethabo and Matimba and we initiated stages of load shedding,” he said.

Later in February, load shedding was once again unleashed following problems experienced at Majuba and Camden power stations.

“We are coming back to you a fortnight later to convey again the progress we are making in addressing the most recent setback. If you were to ask me, this is one press conference I do not want to have because we are explaining why there is load shedding, there should not be load shedding in the first instance. We really want to have a conversation around how we are confident about our ability to ensure that we eliminate load shedding once and for all,” he said.

The current bout of load shedding has been caused by Koeberg Unit 2, which was taken offline after being brought back on Wednesday, and two Kusile units whose coal operations went sub-optimal following adverse weather in the area, Eskom has said.

The power utility said higher levels of planned maintenance outages, aimed at winter preparation and meeting regulatory and environmental licensing requirements, are still underway. 

To replenish emergency reserves over the weekend, ongoing high levels of planned maintenance will continue.

Ramokopa expressed confidence that by Monday, South Africa will be out of the grips of load shedding.