Share

Eskom updates on Medupi, load shedding

Johannesburg - Eskom said on Tuesday that it welcomes the return of more than 5 000 workers to the Medupi power station.

The power utility said it regards this as "a positive move that paves the way for the recovery of the past eight weeks of lost production time".

Last Friday, the North Gauteng High Court ruled in favour of Eskom for the eviction of all people residing in all three of Eskom’s accommodation areas around the Medupi power station, as well as interdicting the return of these employees to the accommodation areas.

The National Union of Metalworkers, which had appealed the eviction order, was ordered to pay Eskom’s legal costs.

Eskom said in a statement that it undertakes to provide alternative accommodation to all evicted employees after they have been properly identified.

The power utility also said it will carry out repairs to properties damaged as a result of violence during the illegal strike. Access control to all accommodation will be restored.

READ: Eskom: Most Medupi workers resume work

"Meanwhile, Medupi Unit 6 will be progressively tested and fine-tuned until the engineers are satisfied that the systems are fully operable and reliable for final handover. This is also to ensure that the unit is safe to operate, and will perform exactly as designed for the next 50 years," said Eskom.

During peak demand periods, testing will stop and power will be generated to alleviate pressure on the grid. Earlier this month the unit reached a new output level of 735 MW.

Upon completion, the Medupi power station will consist of six units of about 794 MW each, with a total output of 4 764 MW - about 12% of Eskom’s total installed capacity.

The power station will also become the world’s fourth largest coal-fired power plant, and the largest dry-cooled power station of its kind, according to Eskom.

READ: Eskom, CEO Matona part ways

No load shedding so far for Tuesday

* On Tuesday morning Eskom said no load shedding was scheduled at the time as there was enough generating capacity to meet the demand.

"However, the power system is still very constrained and vulnerable, especially during the evening peak period between 17:00 to 21:00, mainly due to the increased electricity demand and generating units being out of service due to maintenance," said Eskom.
 
"The electricity system remains significantly constrained for the rest of the week. This means that the risk of load shedding is very high, especially during evening peak periods. We therefore request that South Africans continue to use electricity sparingly and make this a lifestyle as we are managing a very tight system."  
 
Eskom called on all South Africans to pull together over the next few months and use electricity sparingly by switching off geysers and pool pumps, switching off non-essential lights, using air-conditioners efficiently by keeping room temperature at 23°C and responding to the alerts on TV each evening.
 
Commercial customers, particularly shopping centres and office blocks, can also make a big difference by switching off non-essential lights and not leaving office equipment such as photocopiers and computers in standby mode after hours.
 
Eskom said it will provide regular updates on the status of the power system through all the media platforms.

ALSO READ: ANC suggests Eskom sells equity to pension funds


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.03
-0.7%
Rand - Pound
24.01
-0.5%
Rand - Euro
20.54
-0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.36
-0.0%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.6%
Platinum
900.50
+0.4%
Palladium
1,002.25
+0.1%
Gold
2,209.77
+0.7%
Silver
24.53
-0.5%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,080
+0.6%
All Share
74,278
+0.5%
Resource 10
56,967
+2.4%
Industrial 25
103,572
+0.3%
Financial 15
16,456
-0.4%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders