Power utility Eskom has sought to allay fears of the country slipping into stage 16 of load shedding. This after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved guidelines for implementing load shedding up to stage 16.
Stage 6 is still the highest stage of load shedding implemented to date. But Eskom continues to battle an energy crisis, which NERSA says makes it necessary to make provision for any eventuality. “Addition 3 which is the current code of practice which NERSA has recently approved caters for up to level 16 or stage 16 of load shedding. This by no means says we are expecting or there is an imminent stage 16 but it’s simply a way of preparing the system operator in an eventuality that would require him to be able to operate they system under such conditions.
Eskom says there’s no need to worry as the grid has stabilized over time, pouring cold water to concerns of looming heightened levels of load shedding to stage 16.