Giant energy provider Eskom says it will execute stage 2 load shedding on Sunday morning, before reverting to stage 1 for the afternoon. The announcement follows a series of power cuts that have negatively impacted on the country’s businesses. According to some sections of the media, the ongoing power cuts are likely to last for the next three years.
Stage 2 Load Shedding
The power utility cited that stage 2 load shedding will hit from 07:00 to 12:00, and stage 1 load shedding will be implemented from 12:00 to 22:00. The power utility said on Friday that the risk of a total blackout in the country was lower than it was a decade ago. Eskom’s management said the national electricity system operator transmission network has been strengthened, and there is heightened awareness and contingency plans in place to avoid a stage 2 load shedding blackout scenario.
Eskom has requested a further 25.3% hike in its tariffs over the next three years on top of existing tabled increases. Electricity tariffs will increase 12.69% for direct customers and 14.25% for municipalities from July, Eskom said in a statement on Friday. Eskom has said it’s going to ask Nersa to reopen its multi-year price determination, partly because of the high cost of running its diesel generators.
Still, Eskom remains in a serious financial crisis, with government looking to bail out the company through various means. Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown,, ruled out the privatisation of basic services ,such as the provision of electricity and water, and said load shedding will continue for three more years, until various government plans fall into place.