South Africa: Utility provider Eskom indicates that electricity supply disruptions could extend nationwide through to at least April

Event

South Africa's electricity utility provider has stated that electricity supply disruptions could continue through to at least mid-April as it continues planned maintenance at its power supply facilities but continues to face a reduction of capacity due to unplanned maintenance and breakdowns. Eskom recently announced that stage-2 load shedding would resume nationwide from Jan. 18 following four days of similar outages. The utility company has forecasted a deficit of at least 2000MW to meet national demand over the next 16 weeks.

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 through April. 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)