Eskom yesterday warned that the power grid was expected to be under strain for the remainder of the week with a medium to high risk of load-shedding, especially tomorrow and Friday.
Although the parastatal kept to its promise that no load-shedding would take place early yesterday morning, by mid-afternoon the country was experiencing blackouts again.
Eskom media officer Sipho Neke said this was a result of a failed attempt to recover levels at its pumped storage schemes which use water to generate electricity, and to replenish diesel stock to fire up open cycle gas turbines.
He said maintenance work had also not been completed in time.
“These factors, coupled with the loss of power supply to coal feeders at the Majuba power station as a result of cable damage, necessitated the need for load-shedding today (Tuesday).”
While battling the power outages, a number of Buffalo City Metro residents have been without hot water since Sunday.
Contacted for comment, BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said the ripple control system was designed to load-shed during peak usage periods when the electrical system was strained.
“Due to the supply capacity problems that Eskom is currently faced with, Eskom from time to time requests BCM to shed load,” he said. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Power supply remains under pressure
Although the parastatal kept to its promise that no load-shedding would take place early yesterday morning, by mid-afternoon the country was experiencing blackouts again.
Eskom media officer Sipho Neke said this was a result of a failed attempt to recover levels at its pumped storage schemes which use water to generate electricity, and to replenish diesel stock to fire up open cycle gas turbines.
He said maintenance work had also not been completed in time.
“These factors, coupled with the loss of power supply to coal feeders at the Majuba power station as a result of cable damage, necessitated the need for load-shedding today (Tuesday).”
While battling the power outages, a number of Buffalo City Metro residents have been without hot water since Sunday.
Contacted for comment, BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said the ripple control system was designed to load-shed during peak usage periods when the electrical system was strained.
“Due to the supply capacity problems that Eskom is currently faced with, Eskom from time to time requests BCM to shed load,” he said. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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