POWER ALERT 1

POWER ALERT 1
Date: 16 January 2020
A positive outlook for the system today

Thursday, 16 January 2020: The system is looking better today as units that were on unplanned outages due to coal handling problems caused by flooding started pumping power into the grid although not yet at full capacity. While the overall system remains constrained, we do not anticipate loadshedding today. In addition, our emergency resources are adequate in case we need to utilise them to supplement capacity.

Unplanned outages or breakdowns are also showing a positive trend being at 11 673MW as at 6:00 this morning. As previously indicated, our aim is to keep unplanned outages below 9 500MW. Our summer maintenance plan continues unabated with two big units at Hendrina and Lethabo going on scheduled maintenance today. We have planned accordingly to ensure that their absence does not destabilise the system.

We are monitoring the system closely and we will continue to give periodic updates on the status of the power system as things may change at short notice.

A concerted collective effort to reduce demand can help to avoid or lessen the level of loadshedding. And as such, we strongly urge customers to assist by helping to reduce demand by using electricity sparingly.

• Set air-conditioners’ average temperature at 23ºC
• Switch off your geysers over peak periods
• Use the cold water tap rather than using the geyser every time
• Set your swimming pool pump cycle to run twice a day, three hours at a time for optimal energy use
• At the end of the day, turn off computers, copiers, printers and fax machines at the switch. Avoid stand-by or sleep mode