Eskom Chief Executive, Andre de Ruyter, confirmed that the power supply will remain constrained throughout the week, as several generating units are expected to return to service ahead of the Easter holidays.
According to de Ruyter, Eskom has a number of units returning before the long weekend, Malta power station [unit] 6, Grootvlei power station [unit] 3, and five units at Camden Power Station.
“Tuthuka power station [unit] 3 should also be returning from a boiler tube leak before the long weekend,” De Ruyter said.
De Ruyter indicated that the electricity supplier was forced to implement load shedding on Monday evening because of breakdowns and losses of generating capacity at several power stations.
“The utility is also due to implement load shedding again from 5 pm this afternoon until 5 am on Wednesday.
“We have about 70% worth of diesel at Ankerlig [power station] which generates electricity using diesel during peak hours and emergency purposes. This is enough to keep all the units running for 24 hours. This may seem like a lot but it is not because we have to replenish the diesel by road and this creates some logistical challenges for us, so we have to conserve diesel at Ankerlig, “De Ruyter added.
Meanwhile, the total amount of lost generating capacity is currently 13 966MW which will render Eskom unable to keep up with demand on Tuesday evening. A further 4804MW of generating capacity is also unavailable due to maintenance.
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