Eskom grants South Africans three days of electricity access
Date: Dec 13, 2018
South Africa’s power utility Eskom has not implemented loadshedding for three consecutive days.
Eskom advised that due to an increase in units returning to the grid and due to low demand, loadshedding will not be implemented today [Wednesday].
“We continue to appeal to residents and businesses to use electricity sparingly during this period,” said the power utility in a statement.
According to Eskom, the main reason that led to the implementation of loadshedding has been the deterioration in the company’s plant performance over the past six months resulting in shortage of capacity to meet the demand in electricity.
“In order to match the demand in the country loadshedding has to be implemented to balance what is available and to avoid a total collapse of the power system,” the company explained.
Loadshedding not always Eskom-related
The company’s national spokesperson, Khulu Phasiwe, explained via Twitter that approximately 42% of Eskom’s generated capacity is sold to the country’s municipalities, who in turn resell to their customers-base made up largely of homes, businesses and other institutions.
Phasiwe added that Schedule 4B of the Constitution lists electricity and gas reticulation as a local government responsibility. While Section 153 places the responsibility on municipalities to ensure the provision of services (which includes electricity reticulation) to communities in a sustainable manner as well as promote economic and social development.
