Power system remains constrained, warns Eskom

Source: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

“The system will remain constrained on Monday and Tuesday and it is expected that extensive use of emergency reserves will be required ahead of the units returning. Eskom, therefore, requests the assistance of all South Africans to continue using electricity sparingly,” the power utility said.

Eskom said the suspension of load shedding was as a result of steady recovery in both generating capacity and emergency reserves.

“Since Friday, Eskom teams have returned four generation units to service. The emergency generation reserves have also sufficiently recovered. Eight other generating units are expected to return to service by Wednesday evening,” it said.

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Eskom employee arrested

Meanwhile, an Eskom employee has been arrested for allegedly stealing at least 40 pieces of structural cross members of a pylon at the power utility’s academy. A pylon is used to support lines of electricity. The employee was nabbed when he allegedly attempted to sell the cross members to a scrap metal dealer.

“It is quite disappointing to have one of our own working against the entire collective and its mandate to provide quality electricity to customers. We condemn such acts of criminality in the strongest terms as they not only affect Eskom, but also impact our customers with unnecessary supply interruptions which can be avoided.

“We will continue to heighten efforts to curb theft, vandalism of our infrastructure and any criminal acts by anyone, especially our employees who should be our guardians against such infrastructure destruction,” Eskom Gauteng’s safety, health, environment, risk, and quality manager Kith Maitisa said.