This helped the power utility restore available capacity and brings stage 2 load-shedding to a temporary end. 

South Africans had to contend with rolling blackouts for most of the past week. 

“Since yesterday (Thursday) morning, Eskom teams have successfully returned a generation unit each at the Duvha, Medupi, Kendal, Kriel and Kusile power stations,” says the utility’s spokesperson, Sikonathi Mantshantsha. 

“A further unit each is expected to return to service [on Friday] at the Camden and Majuba power stations. Although we have also lost other units at Tutuka, Camden and Hendrina power stations, we have managed to adequately replenish emergency generation reserves. 

Mantshantsha says Eskom will use the long weekend, which will see lower demand, to conduct short-term maintenance and to further replenish the emergency reserves for the week ahead.

“We currently have 7 183MW on planned maintenance, while another 10 464MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns and delays. The improved generation availability, together with the lower long weekend demand, has enabled us to cancel load-shedding at this point.”

It has, however, warned that the system remains vulnerable and unpredictable.

Jacaranda FM