Eskom halts load shedding till next Friday

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Eskom has announced the suspension of load shedding until next week Friday at 4 o’clock. The power utility attributes this decision to a consistent improvement in available generating capacity.

Eskom says it will be vigilant, closely monitoring the power system and promptly communicating any significant changes.

Last week, the Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said Eskom’s generation capacity reached 55%. He said the power utility planned to push it up to 60% in the first quarter of next year.

Ramokgopa says the Kusile power station in Mpumalanga has been a star performer with the return of three generation units.

He told the media that Eskom had reduced its use of diesel, which he said was expensive and unsustainable.

Ramokgopa says, “When you have seen the lights are on, very little diesel has been burned, it has been the machines sustaining themselves. The highlights have been the return of these three Kusile units. Don’t underestimate the fact that we delayed the decommissioning and part of the reason why we have not burned diesel even at higher levels of intensity. Part of the reason why the lights are on and will remain on going into the near future, is because of these units that were meant to be taken out. These units continue to perform; Kamden, Hedrina.”

Ramokgopa says while the electricity system is healthier by 3 000 megawatts, the system remains unreliable.