The power utility Eskom has announced that Stage 6 loadshedding will be implemented indefinitely. The announcement was made after midnight on the early hours of Saturday.
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In a statement, Eskom announced that despite returning two generating units to service in 24 hours, two generating units were also taken offline.
‘This, combined with the need to replenish the pumped storage dams in preparation for the week ahead, necessitated the implementation of Stage 6 loadshedding from midnight until further notice.’
Eskom said its team was ‘working diligently’ to get the generation units back online and would communicate any significant changes.
Just days ago, at the 30th State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Cape Town, President Cyril Ramaphosa assured South Africans that the government had a clear plan to end loadshedding.
‘We are on track to resolve the most important constraints on economic growth by stabilising our energy supply and fixing our logistics system.
‘As these obstacles are removed, the true potential of our economy is unleashed,’ said Ramaphosa.
Eskom increased loadshedding to Stage 4 on Thursday night, just as the ink had dried on his 16-page speech.
Speaking on the implementation of the National Energy Crisis Committee, Ramaphosa said: ‘We have delivered on our commitments to bring substantial new power through private investment on to the grid, which is already helping to reduce loadshedding.’
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Picture: Nikola Johnny Mirkovic/ Unsplash