Electricity usage to spike: Eskom

Electricity usage is expected to spike on Monday evening because of wintry conditions, Eskom said. 

   

"The concern is the peak demand between 5pm and 9pm when customers return home from work," it said in its bi-weekly status bulletin.

   

"Eskom continues to make progress with its programme of planned maintenance, but the system remains tight."

   

The capacity available to meet Monday evening's peak was 37,000MW, including open cycle gas turbines, while demand was forecast at 35,806MW. 

   

Planned maintenance stood at 3000MW and unplanned outages were 3550MW.

   

Peak demand for the weekend and Thursday and Friday was met with available capacity.

   

Peak demand for the rest of this week was forecast at 35,149MW on Tuesday, 35,069MW on Wednesday, 35,253MW on Thursday, 33,807MW on Friday, 32,590MW on Saturday, and 32,540MW on Sunday.

   

-Sapa