Eskom expects to be able to suspend load shedding for a few hours this weekend.

The state-owned utility said on Thursday that its current forecast is that rotational power cuts will be suspended nationally at 5am on Sunday.

This happy situation is not, however, expected to last long: by 4pm on Sunday, Eskom expects to go back to stage-4 load shedding.

The full schedule for the coming days is:

Thursday, 1 June: Stage 6 from 4pm to midnight;
Friday, 2 June: Stage 6 until 5am, then stage 4 for the rest of the day;
Saturday, 3 June: Stage 4 until 5am, followed by stage 2 until 4pm, and then stage 4 for the rest of the day; and
Sunday, 4 June: Stage 4 until 5am, following no load shedding until 4pm, after which stage 4 returns.

Eskom has imposed load shedding on South Africans every day this year except one.

“Breakdowns are currently at 17.9GW of generating capacity, while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 2.4GW,” Eskom said in a statement.

“Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit each at Kendal and Tutuka power stations were returned to service. In the same period, a generation unit each at Duvha and Arnot power stations were taken out of service due to breakdowns.”

Delays

“The further delays in returning to service a generating unit at Arnot, Hendrina, Lethabo, Majuba, Matimba, Matla, Tutuka and two generating units at Camden continue to add to the current capacity constraints. Eskom intends to return as many of these generating units to service over the next few days,” it added.