If you’ve been stuck in the dark again this week, you’re not alone.
South Africa’s latest round of Stage 2 load shedding, happening every evening from 4pm to 10pm until Thursday, has once again stirred frustration.
But according to Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, this round of rolling blackouts is all part of a bigger plan to create a more stable power system down the line.
Yes, it’s another case of “short-term pain for long-term gain,” as the minister put it in his media briefing on Wednesday.
Maintenance Mayhem or Meaningful Repairs?
So, why the power cuts this week? Ramokgopa explained that planned maintenance on the grid is currently at record levels — more than ever before.
That, combined with some unexpected breakdowns and generator delays, has pushed Eskom to implement scheduled power outages once again.
Still, the minister insisted it’s all for a good cause.
The work being done now is meant to fix up Eskom’s aging infrastructure so that fewer outages happen in the future.
“We understand it’s frustrating,” he said, “but this is the only way to improve reliability in the long run.”
Winter Is Coming – But It’s Not All Bad News
While no one loves load shedding, Ramokgopa said there’s reason to be a little more hopeful heading into the cold months.
Compared to winter 2024, South Africa’s power grid is actually in better shape.
The minister pointed to several key developments, including the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, where Unit 2 is now up and running and feeding power back into the grid.
Unit 1 is still offline, but it’s expected to return to service by July, just in time for peak winter demand.
And let’s not forget Kusile Power Station’s Unit 6, which added 800 megawatts to the grid after coming online on March 26.
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