Cape power cuts to continue

CAPE TOWN – Power cuts were expected to continue in parts of South Africa’s Western Cape yesterday as Eskom conducted controlled “load shedding” to prevent another blackout in the region.

“Basically we will manage the available capacity, by switching off towns and communities in certain areas. If we don’t do that we will sit with a blackout situation,” said Eone de Villiers of Eskom.She said “load shedding” took place when electricity demand was greater than supply.Supply is constrained because the Koeberg nuclear power station was not producing any electricity.Eskom commenced load shedding for two-hour periods from 06:30 to 22:30 yesterday.Affected areas ranged across the length and breadth of the province, from Kwaggaskloof to Nyanga, to Hermanus and Citrusdal.Eskom needed to shed 70 Megawatts every two hours.Over the weekend, a series of province-wide power cuts crippled households and businesses.Eskom blamed faults on transmission lines, triggered by misty conditions and residual pollution from recent fires, for Sunday’s power failure.Eskom’s Fani Zulu said that Sunday’s power failure was not related to problems at Koeberg nuclear power station, which caused a power cut on Saturday.The nuclear power station has not been operating optimally since December, when one of two reactors was damaged by a loose nut.-Nampa-SapaIf we don’t do that we will sit with a blackout situation,” said Eone de Villiers of Eskom.She said “load shedding” took place when electricity demand was greater than supply.Supply is constrained because the Koeberg nuclear power station was not producing any electricity.Eskom commenced load shedding for two-hour periods from 06:30 to 22:30 yesterday.Affected areas ranged across the length and breadth of the province, from Kwaggaskloof to Nyanga, to Hermanus and Citrusdal.Eskom needed to shed 70 Megawatts every two hours.Over the weekend, a series of province-wide power cuts crippled households and businesses.Eskom blamed faults on transmission lines, triggered by misty conditions and residual pollution from recent fires, for Sunday’s power failure.Eskom’s Fani Zulu said that Sunday’s power failure was not related to problems at Koeberg nuclear power station, which caused a power cut on Saturday.The nuclear power station has not been operating optimally since December, when one of two reactors was damaged by a loose nut.-Nampa-Sapa