Eskom Proposes Stage 16 Load-Shedding Schedules: What You Need to Know.
Eskom, South Africa’s power utility, has put forward a new proposal that includes load-shedding schedules up to Stage 16. This move aims to ensure a more organized and systematic approach if load-shedding beyond Stage 8 becomes necessary.
The proposed national standards document, known as NRS048-9 Revision 3, mandates all network operators, including distributors and municipalities, to develop, publish, and implement load-shedding schedules as instructed by the System Operator.
As per Eskom, beyond Stage 8, the System Operator will instruct each province to reduce a fixed amount of megawatts, which will be shared between Eskom Distribution and municipal network owners. However, there are currently no predefined schedules for this additional reduction.
To address this, the revised document proposes load-shedding schedules up to Stage 16, aiming to introduce more systematic and orderly load-shedding processes. This move comes as Eskom recognizes the need for clear guidelines beyond Stage 8 to maintain system stability effectively.
While there has been no official indication of how high the load-shedding stages will go, Eskom emphasizes that the proposed document also suggests additional stages of load curtailment, with some practical limitations on industrial plants.
The revision of the Code of Practice for load-shedding has been a collaborative effort involving Eskom, the System Operator, and industry stakeholders. Its purpose is to ensure efficient rotational power cuts and prevent potential grid instability caused by human error or the absence of clear guidelines.
The proposed changes come amidst concerns about the possibility of reaching higher load-shedding stages, as Eskom has been heavily reliant on emergency power generation and load curtailment measures.
Eskom reassures the public that the System Operator ensures the availability of reserves to respond to unforeseen events swiftly. In the event of multiple generator trips and a strain on reserves, automatic protection schemes are in place to reduce demand and normalize the power system within one second.
The proposed new load-shedding Code of Practice reflects Eskom’s ongoing efforts to maintain the stability of South Africa’s power grid while addressing the need for clear instructions and coordinated actions in the event of increased load-shedding requirements.
