Eskom has pointed the finger at air conditioners and fans as among the reasons behind the recent stage 6 load shedding.
Karabo Rakgolela, the general manager of Lethabo Power Station, said the recent heatwave in the Free State led to a significant increase in power usage.
He said the temperature swings had caused problems, leading to the temporary loss of power.
“In a heatwave such as we’ve had, you can see the usage go up as the entire affluent South Africa switches on their air conditioning and fans and that usage stays up as long as it stays warm,” he stated.
High temperatures also caused issues at power stations, resulting in tube leaks and unit tripping, MyBroadband reported.
Eskom ended up running on diesel late into the night during the recent heatwave.
Eskom also admitted to overusing its emergency reserves, contributing to the rise of power cuts during stage 6 load shedding.
The overuse of emergency reserves has raised concerns about grid stability and energy supply in the country.
Independent energy analyst Pieter Jordaan highlighted that Eskom’s usage of open-cycle gas turbines (OCGT) had gone past the 6% limit set by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).
The dependence on OCGT generators has also led to increased costs, adding a 33% premium to the cost of electricity.
Compiled by staff writer