Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa expressed frustration with the recent return of load shedding in South Africa. Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria alongside Eskom officials, Ramokgopa assured the public that these planned power outages would eventually end.
This announcement follows Eskom’s decision to implement Stage 3 load shedding from Friday through Monday, citing unplanned losses and ongoing maintenance. The decision was aimed at replenishing emergency reserves over the weekend while addressing high levels of planned maintenance across the grid.
Key Challenges and Setbacks Identified by Ramokgopa
Ramokgopa pointed out that the power utility is facing several key challenges that need immediate attention.
The recent load shedding marks the third setback in just 30 days, which the minister called “totally unacceptable,” especially after a period of relative stability.
At the peak of this improvement, unplanned capacity losses were between 8,500 and 11,000 megawatts, but now the losses have surged to over 14,000 megawatts.
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“This indicates that something has gone wrong,” said Ramokgopa. “We have begun identifying the problem areas, but it requires a more robust and honest conversation among leadership to ensure we maintain what is working and address areas that need improvement.”
Eskom’s Plan to Strengthen Power Generation
Eskom’s CEO, Dan Marokane, reassured the public that the utility remains committed to strengthening its power generation capabilities. He emphasized that bringing new capacity online and completing maintenance work would be essential to resolving the issue.
“Kusile Unit 6 is in its final commissioning stages and is expected to be synchronized to the grid by March 18,” Marokane stated. “By the end of March and April, Medupi Unit 4 will also be synchronized.”
Eskom aims to rely on both newly commissioned units and maintained ones to ensure reliable electricity supply, especially as the winter months approach. Further plans for the winter period will be announced by the end of March.
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