George Loadshedding Schedule 3.14

LOAD SHEDDING EXPLAINED

Stage 1: Eskom needs to shed 1000MW to keep the national grid stable.

Stage 1 is the least disruptive of the schedules. Your area is likely to be hit by 2.5-hour blackouts once every second day**, Monday to Saturday between 05:30 and 21:00. Load shedding won’t take place overnight or on Sundays.

**If you live in an Eskom-supplied area in Johannesburg, you’ll be in for a 4-hour cut once every 4 days.
Stage 2: Eskom needs to shed 2000MW to keep the national grid stable.

Stage 2 involves double the amount of load shedding planned in Stage 1. Your area is likely to be hit by 2.5-hour blackouts once a day, Monday to Saturday between 05:30 and 21:00. Load shedding won’t take place overnight or on Sundays.
Stage 3: Eskom needs to shed up to 4000MW to keep the national grid stable.

Stage 3 involves double the amount of load shedding planned in Stage 2. Your area is likely to be hit by 2.5-hour blackouts up to three times a day. The load shedding will take place 24 hours per day and will also happen on Sundays.
Stage 4: Eskom needs to shed more than 4000MW to keep the national grid from collapsing.

Stage 4 is as bad as it gets in terms of load shedding. Eskom starts additional, unscheduled power cuts wherever it needs to and outside of its schedules. This means your area can be hit by blackouts at any time without any warning. The country hasn’t reached this stage since 2008.

Stage 4 load shedding is the final option for Eskom to prevent a national blackout.