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News

Stage 16 | ‘No need to fear’

todayApril 10, 2024 124

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Energy experts say the move by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to approve guidelines for implementing load shedding up to Stage 16 is just a contingency measure.

The regulator recently released the new guidelines, which will allow Eskom to implement drastic load shedding stages, if needed, beyond Stage 8.

Experts from Eskom, Nersa, the Energy Intensive User Group, South Africa’s metros developed the revision of the load shedding code of practice.

Speaking to YNews, Energy analyst Professor Hartmut Winkler says South Africans should not be worried by this at all.

 

Stage 16 of load shedding would see 80% of power cuts implemented, with the switch-off time seeing consumers going up to 20 hours a day without electricity.

Authorities say the new guidelines will allow Eskom and municipalities to mitigate the impact of higher load shedding stages and prevent a possible grid collapse.

The guidelines also give Eskom and electricity distributors powers to take emergency action if necessary.

To date the highest stage the country has experienced is Stage 6.

Another energy expert, Matthew Cruise, has told YNews that even though the approval of Stage 16 is just precautionary, he doesn’t see load shedding coming to an end.

Yesterday, however, Deputy President Paul Mashatile assured South Africans that dark days will be behind them at the end of the year.

Eskom on the other hand also moved to allay fears about Stage 16, saying there are no plans for drastic stages of power cuts as the system has been gradually improving.

Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says stage 16 will only be for planning purposes.

The country has been spared from power cuts for 14 days now and the Minister says this is due to aggressive maintenance of key power plants that are now performing and improving generation.

South Africans took to X, to express their thoughts about the approval of Stage 16:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by: Nonhlanhla Harris

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