Johannesburg, November 13, 2023 – In a bid to alleviate the ongoing challenges faced by South Africans grappling with persistent load shedding, Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa delivered a crucial update on Sunday evening. The nation’s collective anticipation for relief is heightened as five generating units are set to return to service on Sunday night.
The morning witnessed an escalation to Stage 3 load shedding, prompting Minister Ramokgopa to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the power grid. Expressing disappointment over the past two weeks, the minister noted the necessity of implementing higher stages of load shedding due to breakdowns in some generating units.
According to Ramokgopa, the offline units resulted in a significant loss of 2,000 megawatts of generation capacity on the grid. He highlighted specific incidents, stating, “Unit 6 at Kendal, we lost Medupi Unit 6 – a substantial unit, Duvha again on 11 November, on 15 November we also lost Hendrina, we lost Duvha 6 again on 14 November.”
These challenges in maintaining a stable power supply have impacted various sectors and daily life, sparking hope among South Africans for the imminent return of the five generating units on Sunday night. The nation collectively awaits relief from the persistent load shedding that has become a source of frustration and inconvenience.
The ongoing issues with load shedding underscore the importance of addressing and resolving the underlying problems in the power generation infrastructure. Minister Ramokgopa’s update serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for sustained efforts to ensure a reliable and stable power supply for the citizens of South Africa.