JOHANNESBURG, (The Southern African Times) – South African state power company Eskom said it would implement more severe power cuts from 2 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) on Friday, citing the need to preserve diesel for backup generators after multiple faults at its coal fleet.
Repeated power outages by Eskom are a major constraint on economic growth in Africa’s most industrialised nation.
Eskom said “Stage 4” power cuts, which require up to 4,000 megawatts (MW) to be shed from the national grid, would last until 5 a.m. on Saturday, after which Stage 2 power cuts would last until 5 a.m. on Monday.
Earlier in the day it announced Stage 2 cuts starting at 11 a.m. on Friday.Â
“Stage 4 loadshedding (power cuts) is necessary to stop the use of OCGT (open cycle gas turbine) generators in order to preserve the remaining fuel at these power stations, which is critically low…There is insufficient diesel available in the country to continue generating with the OCGTs at the current rate,” the utility said in a statement.
“It is anticipated that some generating units will return to service later today and overnight allowing a reduction to Stage 2 loadshedding.”
Eskom said total plant breakdowns amounted to more than 17,000 MW of its roughly 46,000 MW nominal capacity, with more than 4,000 MW also out for planned repairs.
