14-hour power outage to affect parts of Gauteng on Tuesday

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Residents of Dobsonville Extension 3 in Soweto will experience a planned power outage on Tuesday, 13 May, from 9:00 to 23:00.

Eskom confirmed the outage will allow for “essential maintenance on our distribution power lines,” as the utility continues efforts to stabilise its infrastructure.

Eskom advised residents to prioritise safety during the 14-hour power outage.

“In the interest of safety, customers are advised to treat all electrical appliances as live at all times during the power supply outage,” the power utility said in a statement.

Additionally, it also thanked residents for their cooperation and apologised for the inconvenience. The planned maintenance may be delayed if unforeseen challenges arise.

Eskom: Winter load shedding outlook improves

At a media briefing in Johannesburg, Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane outlined the company’s outlook for winter 2024/2025.

Marokane revealed optimism for reduced load shedding compared to previous years. He attributed the improved forecast to better operational performance and a drop in unplanned outages.

“If outages increase to 15GW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days at stage 2 – an improvement over the prior winter’s worst-case prediction of stage 5 load shedding,” Marokane stated.

Furthermore, this winter, Eskom expects unplanned outages to range between 13 and 15GW, down from last year’s 14–17GW forecast. Last winter saw no load shedding, with average unplanned outages sitting at 12.3GW — well below projections.

Boosted Capacity and Maintenance Synergy

Eskom has indicated that additional generating capacity is expected to come online. That will help cushion against possible spikes in demand. The utility’s confidence in maintaining power supply without resorting to severe load shedding rests on keeping unplanned outages under the critical 13GW threshold.

In addition, Marokane explained that the 3.1GW drop in unplanned outages has contributed significantly to the more favourable outlook.