- Eskom has announced the suspension of loadshedding, with it happening at 11:30 earlier today.
- The power utility cites an improvement in the generation system as the reason for the suspension.
- Eskom will, however, implement Stage 3 loadshedding at 16:00 this afternoon, with an update set to follow.
In a rather unexpected move, Eskom has suspended loadshedding, doing so rather surreptitiously at 11:30 earlier today.
A formal announcement only followed 30 minutes thereafter, with Eskom sharing the news via a power alert on its official X account.
According to the power utility, the reason for the suspension is as the result of improved generating capacity. “Due to an improved generation system, as well as full recovery in emergency generation reserves, Loadshedding has been suspended from 11:30 until 16:00 today,” it’s power alert confirmed.
As such, from 16:00 this afternoon, Stage 3 loadshedding is expected to take effect, with Eskom likely looking to return the the schedule of constant late afternoon and evening loadshedding in order to assist businesses and infrastructure reliant on power during the daytime.
Whether that will indeed happen, however, will be confirmed during another power alert at 16:00. “Eskom will publish another update this afternoon.”
While the slight respite is welcome, one has to wonder why the suspension has taking effect.
South Africans on social media have wondered the same thing too, with this week’s BRICS Summit referenced as a possible reason why.
With delegates from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and other nations descending on the Sandton Convention Centre over the next few days, the lack of a stable power grid will not paint SA and its government in the most flattering light.
Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, confirmed that the BRICS Summit would not result in “special treatment”, so let’s hope that is indeed the case, otherwise the country will be saddled with worse levels of loadshedding once the event is done.
[Image – Photo by elnaz asadi on Unsplash]
