ESKOM says stage 6 load shedding implemented over the weekend will remain in place until further notice due to several breakdowns.
However, an online newsletter quoted a former Eskom executive warning South Africans to brace themselves for the punitive power cuts to continue for many more years including up to Stage 8 load shedding this winter.
For the past week South Africans had to contend with load shedding stages fluctuating between States 3, 4 and 5. However, since last Friday the stages have been escalated to Stage 6.
In a statement released on Sunday night, the power utility said eight more generating units suffered breakdowns and warned that it was pushing load shedding to Stage 6 until further notice.
“Since Sunday afternoon a generating unit each at Arnot, Hendrina, Lethabo, and Majuba, as well as two units at Camden Power Station have suffered breakdowns and taken offline for repairs,” it said.
The power utility says two generating units at the Lethabo Power Station were shut down due to coal constraints and the three running units are operating at minimum capacity and are also at risk of shutdown should the coal challenges continue.
“The New Vaal Mine that is supplying the station has been unable to deliver the expected amount of coal during the past week because of the heavy rains,” Eskom said.
“Breakdowns currently amount to 21,243MW of generating capacity while 3,566W of generating capacity is out of service for planned maintenance,”
This comes a few days before Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech on Wednesday.
As announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address, Godongwana is expected to announce tax incentives for rooftop solar energy.
He further said the Minister will outline how households will be assisted and how businesses will be able to benefit from a tax incentive.