More dark days to come for SA? Eskom implements load shedding yet again

Eskom implemented stage 4 load shedding on Monday

Thousands of South Africans were left in the dark on Monday as Eskom's woes deepened, the power utility resorted to implementing stage four load shedding to keep the grid stable.

Load shedding moved from stage two to four in a matter of six hours, this after six additional units went down.

Eskom implements load shedding as a way of removing load from the power system when  there is an imbalance between demand and supply of electricity. Load shedding protects the power system from a total blackout.

Eskom is among the biggest power utilities in the world, famous for its ability to handle vast tonnages of low-grade coal. Eskom accounts for over 90% of power generating capacity. Its power plants are mostly coal with one nuclear station and some pumped storage (water). Only a few minor power generators have remained outside Eskom’s fold.

A few days ago in his state of the nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Eskom would be split into three separate entities, Generation, Transmission and Distribution, the three entities would however still be under Eskom.