Eskom warned on Monday night that forced blackouts could return at short notice due to the “unexpected loss of some generation units over the weekend”.
Though it said load shedding is not expected, the system “remains vulnerable to a number of variables due to historic inadequate maintenance as well as ageing of plant”.
“Unplanned breakdowns are currently above the critical threshold of 9 500MW, which necessitated the extensive use of emergency resources — water and diesel — to meet demand,” it said in a statement.
It said the electricity system will remain “severely constrained” until at least Thursday and urged consumers and businesses to use electricity sparingly as it works to manage the system back to stability. — (c) 2019 NewsCentral Media