Durban – eThekwini Municipality is still exempted from Eskom’s load shedding due to the devastating floods that left thousands displaced and currently being housed in community halls and churches.
The power utility announced that it will implement stage 2 of load shedding from 5 pm on Tuesday until next week Monday. However, Eskom Spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsha confirmed that eThekwini Municipality was still unable to shed the load as it was still recovering from the floods.
“If any customers are off, that will be due to the flood damage,” he said.
The municipality suffered huge damages to electricity infrastructure due to floods that has been causing power outages even when there was no load shedding from Eskom.
The city announced that some of the High Voltage substations were severely damaged but work was under way to restore them.
Justifying load shedding, in a statement, Eskom said it has been caused by a shortage of generation capacity owing to delays in returning generators to service, as well as breakdowns of nine generators.
“Eskom will continue to monitor the system and implement any changes as required.
“Since yesterday a generation unit each at Lethabo, Tutuka, Ingula, Drakensberg, Arnot as well as two units each at Hendrina and Matla power stations suffered breakdowns. Further, delays in returning generators to service at Arnot, Kendal and three units at Tutuka power stations have added to the capacity constraints.
“Eskom expects to return as many of these units to service as possible over the next few days. We also expect to rely on the use of emergency generating reserves to limit the stage of load shedding during this period.
“Eskom would again like to remind the public that load shedding is implemented only as a last resort to protect the national grid. We, therefore, request the public to continue using electricity sparingly to reduce the occurrence of load shedding,” said the statement.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE
