Eskom cancels loadshedding from 12:00 as generation units return to service, helping to restore available capacity

Friday, 19 March 2021: Eskom is pleased to announce that loadshedding will be cancelled from 12:00 today as some generation units have returned to service, helping to restore generating capacity to meet the customer demand. Since yesterday morning, Eskom teams have successfully returned a generation unit each at the Duvha, Medupi, Kendal, Kriel and Kusile Power Stations. A further unit each is expected to return to service today at the Camden and Majuba Power Stations.

Although we have also lost other units at Tutuka, Camden and Hendrina Power Stations, we have managed to adequately replenish emergency generation reserves. Eskom will also be taking the opportunity over the long weekend, due to the lower demand, to conduct short-term maintenance and to further replenish the emergency reserves in preparation for the week ahead.

We currently have 7 183MW on planned maintenance, while another 10 464MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns and delays. The improved generation availability, together with the lower long weekend demand, has enabled us to cancel loadshedding at this point.

Eskom would like to apologise to the people of South Africa for the inconvenience suffered during the loadshedding. 

As previously communicated, Eskom continues to implement reliability maintenance during this period, and as such the system will continue to be constrained, with the possibility of loadshedding remaining elevated.

Eskom requests the public to continue using electricity sparingly as the system remains vulnerable and unpredictable, and we will communicate timeously should there be any significant changes to the power system.

ENDS