Loss of generation capacity, heatwave blamed for Stage 6

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The loss of generation capacity and a surge in demand, caused by the heatwave, have been blamed for the Stage 6 load shedding that Eskom introduced at midday on Friday.

Electricity Minister, Kgosientso Ramokgopa says there is also a need to replenish emergency reserves to protect the grid.

He says South Africans should expect things to get better with lower stages of load shedding in the festive season as some intensive energy users will be closing and planned maintenance is ramped up and more units are returned online.

The Electricity Minister has called this a significant setback and an extraordinary occurrence. He has again apologized for the disruption caused by the intense load shedding to businesses and ordinary South Africans.

The high temperature has increased the demand for electricity as the use of air conditioners has increased and also affecting some power stations’ ability to function optimally. Eskom says demand is about 1 500 MW above the norm because of the heatwave.

Stage 6 load shedding blamed on heatwave:

The power utility says as a result of the loss of generation capacity at Medupi, it meant they had to run emergency reserves. The unplanned capacity loss and the need to replenish emergency reserves to protect the grid have resulted in the implementation of stage 6 load shedding. This will see many being without power for about 10 hours in a day.

Eskom’s Head of Generation Bheki Nxumalo says, “Apart from the reserves, in addition, what we have noticed today is the demand just went up, compared to yesterday it’s continuously above 1500 MW, so that 1500 mw plus the reserves that were low, that is really what caused us to be above this because if I look at the units that we have lost today, Minister did talk to Medupi 5 that unit had a tube leak, it has since returned so between yesterday and today, the only unit that came down was the Duvha unit 4, Majuba 3 and Lethabo unit 6, so that’s why I concur with the minister that where we are with the total losses, it shouldn’t have resulted into where we are at stage 6 of load shedding.”

The Electricity Minister says, however, that the situation should start improving from next week. Hope is pinned on additional capacity from two units at Kusile power station coming back online in the next few weeks.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says, “Like I said, there is addressing the issues on the emergency reserves, and then there are units that are planned to return tomorrow, Sunday and Monday and we are going to see a significant lowering of the stages of load shedding but going into the future beyond this week, we are going to have additional buffers 1600 mw the 2 units at Kusile unit 2 and 5, no 2 ends of the month and 5 by the third week of December and then so that in future when you have a cluster of these units failing we don’t have to initiate high intensity of load shedding.”

Ramokgopa says while South Africans may go through some periods of lower stages of load shedding, it does not mean the problem is over. He says the only way to resolve the electricity supply shortage crisis is to ensure that there is new generation capacity.

Video: Eskom’s Stage 6 load shedding returns