Load shedding is a last-resort measure implemented by the national utility Eskom in order to prevent the electricity grid from collapsing countrywide. Load shedding is typically implemented when the difference between Eskom’s power supply and the industrial and domestic users’ demand for power becomes too small. In order to prevent a disastrous national blackout, Eskom implements planned and controlled power interruptions aiming at reducing the pressure on the national power system.
Load shedding is generally implemented for two hours in each area. Affected areas are rotating according to a schedule available on Eskom’s website or on your municipality’s website if you are a municipality user.
Why are we experiencing load-shedding?
The pressure put on the electricity network depends both from the power production level and the consumption level. Load-shedding implemented during cold winter evenings is often due to the consumption peak the rocketing usage of heating and lighting implies.
The current load-shedding episode differs from this scenario. It is implemented due to the weakness of Eskom’s generating capacities. The grid has indeed recently been severely hit by the collapse of an aging coal-storage silo in Majuba power station (Mpumalanga). In addition, the grid is critically affected by the depletion of water and diesel reserves supplying the open-cycle gas turbines used in last resort to supplement the baseline production capacities.
These challenges encountered by Eskom cause the production levels to be too low to meet the demand for electricity from industrial and domestic customers, therefore opening a new episode of load-shedding.
What can be done in the short term?
The structural energy crisis the country faces since 2008 will not be solved in the short run. However, adopting an energy-savvy behaviour, using energy-efficient appliances and monitoring your power usage will participate to the national effort to reduce the energy consumption, and reduce your electricity bill!
Knowing the load-shedding schedule for the area you live in, and getting ready for load-shedding when announced by the media can also make it easier to cope with the two-hours cut.
How long will South Africans have to deal with load-shedding?
Let’s be honest: no amelioration is expected in the next few years. The long belated delivery of the Kusile and Medupi power stations are causing the baseline production to be particularly low, and the aging power plants cannot supply enough power to guarantee the stability of the grid.
However, the delivery of Medupi and Kusile power stations is expected in two to three years, and should ease the pressure put on the grid, and the multiple independent power producers having invested in South Africa will offer Eskom a possibility to purchase electricity to third-party producers, therefore offering an alternative load-shedding episodes.