South Africa: Utility provider Eskom announces nationwide Stage-2 load shedding Feb. 5-7

Event

South African utility provider, Eskom, has announced that Stage-2 load shedding will be in effect 1200 Feb. 5-2359 Feb. 7. The City of Cape Town has announced that city supplied customers in Cape Town will be on Stage-1 load shedding, while Eskom-supplied customers will remain at the nationwide Stage-2 load shedding.

Temporary commercial and communications disruptions are possible while the load shedding is taking place; cellular and mobile services could be affected. Traffic disruptions and longer driving times are possible during these periods due to malfunctioning traffic signals. Trains may also experience delays if outages impact signaling devices or overhead wires. Power outages could also result in the temporary unavailability of essential services such as ATMs and filling stations. There is an increased security threat during power outages. Blackouts could adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during electricity outages.

Context

Load shedding requires switching off parts of South Africa's electric grid in a planned and controlled manner due to insufficient capacity or to avoid a countrywide blackout.

• Stage-1 load shedding: Allows for up to 1,000MW of electricity to be removed from the power grid, leading to power supply cuts in the impacted area three times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or three times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

• Stage-2 load shedding: Allows for up to 2,000MW of electricity to be removed from the power grid, leading to power supply cuts in the impacted area six times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or six times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

• Stage-3 load shedding: Allows for up to 3,000MW of electricity to be removed from the power grid, leading to power supply cuts in the impacted area nine times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or nine times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

• Stage-4 load shedding: Allows for up to 4,000MW to be removed from the power grid, leading to power supply cuts in the impacted area 12 times over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or 12 times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

Authorities in the City of Cape Town are likely to continue to implement support measures and supply electricity during load shedding periods. Typically, city supply will move the stage down one level from the Eskom-announced load shedding level.

Advice

Plan for electricity disruptions. Develop or review your business continuity plan (BCP) sections regarding utility outages. Identify business-critical functions that require a power supply. Invest in generators and, if applicable, UPS units to ensure seamless continuity of operations. Power laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and other business or travel-critical appliances regularly. Download available warning apps covering planned or unplanned power outages and monitor announcements from the utility. Plan for business disruptions and travel delays due to traffic congestion during periods of load shedding. For safety reasons, monitor generators while they are operating due to potential fires. Unplug appliances and electronic equipment to protect against surge damage when power resumes.

Resources

Eskom load-shedding schedules
Eskom (Twitter)
City of Cape Town (Twitter)
City of Tshwane (Twitter)
City of Johannesburg (Twitter)