Eskom says that load shedding reached stage 6 in the early hours of the morning yesterday.
This followed multiple unit trips at Camden Power stations.
Stage 6 load shedding will continue until further notice.
This followed the implementation of Stage 3, because of multiple unit trips at Majuba and a unit trip at Medupi.
These resulted in a loss of 3,864 MW in generation capacity, while planned maintenance accounted for 7,506 MW.
Stage 6 load shedding was last implemented about a year ago, when 13 units went offline in February 2024, and Eskom faced delays in getting them back up.
Chris Yelland, energy analyst, says that Eskom has been running its Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) flat out this past week, citing data from analyst Clyde Mallinson.
A media statement from Eskom on Friday said that its systems were stable and that it had adequate reserves.
The return to load shedding and the rapid escalation to stage 6, shows that South Africa’s electricity grid remains extremely vulnerable.
The group’s capacity issues have not fundamentally shifted.
Economists and analysts have flagged this problem, saying that the country needs to urgently boost capacity.
This situation shows that South Africa’s growth prospects are effectively capped.
According to the Bureau for Economic Research, as soon as businesses come online or expand, their dependency on the national grid will boost demand for power.