Eskom has declared the implementation of Stage 4 load-shedding from 14:00 on Monday, November 27, 2023, until 05:00 on Saturday, December 2. The decision stems from the necessity to escalate rotational power cuts in response to unexpectedly high demand and the depletion of emergency reserves.
The power utility attributes the need for Stage 4 load-shedding to the growing demand, insufficient generating capacity, and the imperative to manage emergency reserves. Eskom stated that it remains open to adjusting the load-shedding schedule as needed and will communicate any changes accordingly. Currently, Eskom has 6,820MW of generation capacity offline for planned maintenance, coupled with an additional 15,424MW unavailable due to breakdowns. This totals to 22,244MW of generation capacity rendered unavailable. Eskom anticipates a peak evening demand exceeding 28,000MW.
Over the past 24 hours, 500MW of generating capacity went offline, while 600MW returned to service during the same period. The power utility expects approximately 1,300MW of generating capacity to be restored by Tuesday evening.
On Sunday, November 26, 2023, Eskom initially announced the load-shedding schedule for the week, incorporating Stage 4 power cuts. However, the plan only intended to elevate load-shedding from Stage 3 to Stage 4 starting at 16:00 until 05:00 the following day.
