The risk of loadshedding is not gone, in fact South Africans will have the threat of the lights going out hanging over its head for the next thirty days.

This is according to Eskom who today said that due to the damage done to the power system during this week’s industrial action, the power system would remain constrained as repair work is done.

“Eskom’s prognosis is that the power system will take up to approximately 30 days to recover from the effects of the recent industrial action which interrupted continuous processes at the power stations. During the 30 day recovery period, the risk of loadshedding remains high,” the utility said in a statement.

The industrial action that we saw this week appears to be at an end with Eskom saying it and unions have reached an agreement regarding wage increases. This agreement will be formally signed on 8th August.

Recovery teams meanwhile will focus on stabilising the power system in a bid to bring it up to capacity but Eskom warns that this will take time.

For their part unions have dispatched teams to the various sites affected by the industrial action in a bid to restore normality. Eskom has urged employees to return to work stating that a return to normal generating capacity and operational performance cannot be achieved without them.

“Customers are advised to keep checking their loadshedding schedules on the Eskom and their municipal website, and plan on the assumption that loadshedding will take place,” the utility said.

“In the event that loadshedding becomes necessary, Eskom and the municipalities will use published rotational loadshedding schedules,” the company concluded.

[Source – Eskom]