Electricity utility Eskom will increase load shedding from Stage 4 to Stage 6 on Monday due to ongoing outages.
“Stage 4 load shedding will continue until further notice, while Stage 6 will be carried out tonight from 20:00 to 05:00, Monday,” Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said on Sunday.
Stage 6 is back
The number of breakdowns is high
The embattled power utility said several generating units were damaged in the past 24 hours.
“Over the past 24 hours, every generating unit at the Camden, Duvha and Lethabo power stations has suffered a breakdown and has been taken offline for repairs.
“The return to service of two generating units in the Drakensberg and one unit at the Kendal and Tutuka power stations is delayed.
“Two generating units at Lethabo Power Station returned to service during the period,” Mantshantsha said.
He added that breakdowns now amount to 19 385 MW of generating capacity, while 3 566 MW of generating capacity is out of service for planned maintenance.
State of national disaster
Expensive power cuts that have killed many small businesses have prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare the Eskom crisis a national disaster with immediate effect during his State of the Nation Address (Sona).
The President also said that he will appoint an electricity minister in the Presidency, who will focus full-time on working with Eskom to end blackouts.
The announcement of the new electricity minister has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from opposition parties who have called on Ramaphosa and his Cabinet to work with what they have, rather than making another expensive appointment.
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