Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, has brought some relief to the country by announcing the suspension of load shedding until Monday. The decision comes as a result of lower electricity demand over the weekend and improved generating capacity.
Daphne Mokwena, Eskom’s spokesperson, stated that load shedding will remain suspended from 16:00 today until 05:00 on Monday.
This extended period of load-shedding suspension follows Eskom’s initial announcement of a short break from power cuts on Sunday, during which stage 1 and 2 power cuts were implemented.
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The improved maintenance of power stations has contributed to the easing of pressure on the national grid, and Eskom is hopeful that this trend will continue.
In a significant development, Unit 5 of Eskom’s troubled Kusile power station was synchronized to the national grid for the first time at 5:22 pm on Sunday, December 31, 2023.
This unit, which was previously affected by a fire in 2022, is expected to contribute an additional 800MW to the country’s electricity grid once it enters commercial operation. This is a positive step forward in Eskom’s ongoing battle to maintain a stable power supply.
It is worth noting that Unit 5 will supply electricity intermittently during the testing and optimization phase over the next six months before being officially added to Eskom’s fleet. The successful synchronization of this unit brings hope for improved generation capacity in the future.
In addition to the progress at the Kusile power station, Eskom recently announced the successful completion of the full load rejection test on Unit 1 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station. This test, by the South African Grid Code requirements, was the final step following the installation of new steam generators.
The purpose of the full load rejection test was to verify and demonstrate the unit’s ability to supply auxiliary load and return to steady state conditions following a sudden disconnection from the national grid.
This successful test ensures the reliability and resilience of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, contributing to the overall stability of South Africa’s electricity supply.
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