Picture: for illustration purposes
National power utility, Eskom, issued a statement announcing the temporary suspension of rolling blackouts on October 1, 2023, owing to the return of unit three at the Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga to the grid.
The decision is facilitated by the improved generation performance, a significant milestone in providing much-needed relief to South African consumers. The resumption of unit 3 of the Kusile Power Station has added an approximate 800 MW to the nation's electricity grid, improving the available generation capacity.
In addition to the augmented generation capacity, the current respite also comes in response to the less-than-anticipated demand for electricity. The announcement, however, doesn't signal a complete halt to the blackouts. Eskom confirmed that stage 2 load shedding would continue from Monday, with a kick-off time set at 16:00.
Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, expressed satisfaction at Kusile Unit 3's early return to service, which happened two months ahead of schedule. This return is seen as a critical stride in resolving the persistent issue of load shedding.
As the summer season approaches, Eskom strongly vouched for the sustainability of the electricity system in its summer outlook, aiming to keep rolling blackouts at a level below stage four during these months. According to Eskom, a key step in achieving this would be ensuring the unplanned load loss remains below the 14,500-megawatt threshold.