Eskom raises load-shedding stages for the week – here's the updated schedule

For the remainder of the week, Eskom will expand load-shedding from stage 1 to a rotation of stages 2 and 3.

The utility stated that stage 3 will be implemented from the evening of Tuesday, December 27, 2022, until 05:00 on Wednesday, December 28, 2022.

Stage 2 will be executed on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, from 05:00 to 16:00.

This stage 2 and stage 3 rotation will be repeated every day for the remainder of the week.

Eskom could not explain why it was essential to escalate load-shedding from stage 1, which it initiated following a 24-hour power outage stoppage on Christmas Day.

Electricity consumption at the peak evening time on that day was less than 20,000MW, far less than the average peak demand of 25,000-30,000MW.

It was also well short of the over 25,000MW of available producing capacity at the time.

It is unclear whether power consumption has grown since that time, or if other producing unit breakdowns have significantly influenced the capacity-demand imbalance.

Eskom has once again urged South Africans to preserve as much power as possible during this time.

The table below shows the most recent load-shedding schedule for the rest of the week.