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Eskom declares electricity emergency

Cape Town - Eskom warned that there is a high risk of load shedding, reported eNCA on Thursday.

Spokesperson Andrew Etzinger said told the broadcaster that power cuts will most likely occur between 17:00 and 20:00.

"The grid remains under significant strain particularly from 17:30 to 18:30, when the demand spikes primarily due to residential usage," Eskom said in a notice on Facebook.

"In the event that load shedding is implemented, it will be done in stage 1 of the load shedding schedules and could move into stage 2 should the demand continue to increase."

It ruled out power cuts for Friday, pointing out that the load profile is generally lower than other week day peak periods.

On Thursday morning the parastatal said that no power cuts were expected, according to Sapa.  

"There are no plans to implement load-shedding, [but] if we pick up troubles like last night's we might have to implement it again," Etzinger said.

Deliberate power cuts took place countrywide on Wednesday night after two units tripped.

Last week Eskom said that unit six at the Medupi power station in Lephalale, Limpopo, is expected to be the first unit to go live early next year.

Acting Eskom CEO Collins Matjila also warned at the time that the country's electricity supply will remain vulnerable during winter, adding that measures were being taken to ensure electricity demand was met.


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