Breaking: Eskom Resumes Load Shedding on Monday, October 30, 2023

Eskom Suspends Load Shedding Until Sunday Due to Adequate Generation Reserves

Eskom Resumes Load Shedding on Monday : Eskom, South Africa’s prominent electricity public utility, has declared the suspension of load shedding until Sunday, attributing this decision to substantial emergency generation reserves and a decrease in national demand. The utility announced this via a tweet, specifying the continuation of the suspension until 16:00 on Sunday.

ALSO READ Eskom Announces Temporary Suspension of Load Shedding Due to Improved Generation Fleet Performance

In a bid to further alleviate demand, Eskom has urged the public to power down non-essential appliances, particularly between 17:00 and 21:00.

Notable Power Stations Operated by Eskom
Eskom operates several significant power stations, such as Matimba Power Station, Medupi Power Station, Kusile Power Station, Kendal Power Station, and the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, the sole nuclear power plant in Africa.

While the utility has confirmed the suspension of load shedding until Sunday, it’s important for residents in major metros like Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, eThekwini, Mangaung, and Buffalo City to refer to their respective load shedding schedules, available on the Eskom website, for more information.

FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE MAJOR METROS, LOAD SHEDDING SCHEDULES ARE AVAILABLE BELOW:

• City of Johannesburg
• City of Ekurhuleni 
• City of Tshwane 
• City of Cape Town (PDF)
• Nelson Mandela Bay
• eThekwini
• Manguang
• Buffalo City

Here are six tips to mitigate against risks caused by load shedding:

• Make use of surge protection: Electric surges are one of the biggest causes of damage to equipment during a power outage. Installing a surge protection device can help minimise some damage in unforeseen situations. Have a surge protection device fitted to your electrical distribution board or at the power outlet to the electronic device.
• Ensure that your alarm system is working and the backup battery is fully functional to provide power to the system in the event of load shedding.
• Spare torch or headlamp: Keep a torch in your car if you arrive home at night during a power outage. Most smartphones have built-in torch or torch apps, which come in handy during unexpected power outages.
• Emergency contact information: Save emergency contact information on your phone, but also keep a paper copy safe and accessible. This should include contacts for emergency services such as the fire department, police, and/or medical services. Also include the contact information of friends and/or family along with insurance information. 
• Charge your cell phone, laptop, and tablet: Ensure your cellphone, laptop, and tablet devices are fully charged ahead of scheduled blackouts. Be sure to charge them again as soon as possible after the power returns. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency phone charger (like a power bank) close by. This comes in handy during extended power outages. 
• Gas for cooking and lighting: Get a small LP gas bottle and lamp. It gives good quality lighting for a large area and can also be used for cooking and boiling water. It’s a good idea to keep hot water in a thermal flask so that you can make hot drinks. Also, consider preparing meals beforehand if you know when there’s going to be a scheduled blackout.

For further updates on load shedding, individuals are encouraged to bookmark the relevant page on Eskom’s website.