Eskom has confirmed that no loadshedding is forecasted for the week starting Monday, 26 August 2024.
Story Summary:
- Eskom announced that loadshedding will remain suspended for the week starting Monday, 26 August 2024.
- The power system continues to perform well, with reduced unplanned outages and efficient energy availability.
- The likelihood of loadshedding this week is low, based on current power system performance and demand projections.
- The average electricity demand this week is expected to be consistent with recent trends, around 26,420MW during evening peaks.
Loadshedding outlook for this week: Here’s what to expect
This marks 151 consecutive days of uninterrupted power supply, continuing a trend of stability throughout the winter period.
What is the current state of the power system?
Eskom’s power system remains stable and continues to show improvement. The ongoing Generation Operational Recovery Plan has significantly reduced unplanned outages, with the average Energy Availability Factor (EAF) reaching 68% over the past week.
Eskom’s focus on planned maintenance and strategic use of resources has contributed to this stability.
To put it simply, Eskom has been able to keep more of its power plants running efficiently, leading to fewer unexpected breakdowns and a consistent supply of electricity.
According to Eskom, “today’s unplanned outages are 5 018MW lower than the winter 2024 forecast,” indicating that the system is performing better than expected.
What is the likelihood of loadshedding this week?
Given the current performance of Eskom’s power system, the likelihood of loadshedding this week is low.
The steady improvements in operational efficiency and reduce unplanned outages suggest that Eskom is well-positioned to meet the electricity demand without implementing loadshedding.
Here’s the loadshedding schedule starting Monday, 19 August 2024
Here is the official loadshedding schedule:
| Date | 00:00 – 05:00 | 05:00 – 16:00 | 16:00 – 20:00 | 20:00 – 00:00 |
| Mon 26 Aug 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Tues 27 Aug 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Wed 28 Aug 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Thurs 29 Aug 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Friday 30 Aug 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Sat 31 Aug 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Sun 1 Sep 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
Readers from these metros can check the latest loadshedding schedule below:
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Ekurhuleni
- City of Tshwane
- City of Cape Town
- Nelson Mandela Bay
- eThekwini
- Manguang
- Buffalo City
What is the average demand expected to be this week?
The average electricity demand this week is expected to follow recent patterns, particularly the demand noted for Friday, 23 August 2024, which was 26,420MW during the evening peak.
This figure serves as a reasonable estimate for the upcoming week, as demand is likely to remain within a similar range during evening peaks.