Load shedding changes for the weekend – here is the new schedule

Power utlity Eskom says that load shedding will be eased this weekend, with

Stage 3 load shedding will remain in effect from 16h00 on Friday (3 November) until 05h00 on Saturday.

Thereafter, stage 1 load shedding will be implemented throughout the day, hitting stage 2 in the evenings.

This pattern will repeat on Sunday and then continue until further notice.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, 3 November

• Stage 2: until 16h00
• Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00

Saturday, 4 November

• Stage 3: 00h00 to 05h00
• Stage 1: 05h00 to 16h00
• Stage 2: 16h00 to 00h00

Sunday, 5 November

• Stage 2: 00h00 to 05h00
• Stage 1: 05h00 to 16h00
• Stage 2: 16h00 to 00h00

Monday, 6 November

• Stage 2: 00h00 to 05h00
• Stage and time TBD

The group noted that the power system is volatile with a sharp increase in outages. After maintaining unplanned outages below 14,000MW for a stretch, breakdowns currently exceed 17,500MW adding considerable pressure to generation.

This has been exacerbated by the delayed return of Koeberg unit 1, the group said.

Planned maintenance meanwhile is at 4,783MW.

Over the past 24 hours, Eskom said that a unit each at Camden, Majuba and Medupi have been taken down for repairs, as well as two units at Arnot.

Two generating nits at Kriel Power Station were returned to service.

More positively, evening demand is expected to only be around 26,000MW, much lower than the 30,000MW seen earlier in the week as the country was hit with colder weather.

According to independent energy analyst Pieter Jordaan, much of Eskom’s recent successes in keeping load shedding at bay have been thanks to lower demand as well as the utility ramping up the burning of diesel significantly.

After nine days of no load shedding, however, the group was forced to return to blackouts after the “trick” proved to be unsustainable.

Schedules 

For people living in the major metros, load shedding schedules are available here:

• City of Johannesburg
• City of Ekurhuleni 
• City of Tshwane 
• City of Cape Town (PDF)
• Nelson Mandela Bay
• eThekwini
• Manguang
• Buffalo City

For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.

Smartphone users can also download the app EskomSePush to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, as well as the times the area you are in will be off.

Read: Eskom’s neat ‘trick’ to suspend load shedding for 9 days