Load-shedding a possibility over the weekend, warns Eskom

The utility says it needs to replenish its emergency water and diesel reserves in order to limit the possibility of rolling blackouts next week. 

Eskom’s head of generation Andrew Etzinger explains that the power utility’s reserve margins are lower than expected.  

"Since yesterday (Thursday) the situation has improved slightly and the outlook is more promising than we originally thought. Nevertheless, we still are vulnerable if we do pick up additional problems at our power station, but for now everything is fine on the system and we not expecting load-shedding today (Friday) unless something changes."

 Etzinger warns that the utility cannot rule out load-shedding over the weekend. 

"We not at this stage predicting load-shedding for the weekend but there is a probability, so if something does happen unexpected breakdown, any disruption to our supply chain that could put us in a load-shedding position.”

Customers have been advised to use electricity sparingly and check their load-shedding schedules on Eskom's website and their municipal website 

Eskom website:   http://www.eskom.co.za/Pages/LS_schedules.aspx