
Will there be load shedding this winter? Energy Minister gives his verdict…
On Wednesday, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said South Africans could be in for a winter without load-shedding.
This is thanks to improved generation capacity and the return of key power units.
Speaking at the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group meeting in Cape Town, Ramokgopa expressed cautious optimism about a blackout-free winter.
Ramokgopa emphasised that power plant performance is expected to match — if not exceed — last year's levels.
He noted that there is 'no reason' for performance to decline, despite some ongoing challenges.
Without giving too much away, he said a more detailed winter outlook will be presented on 5 May.
'When we went into winter last year, we didn't have Kusile Unit 6, so we didn't have that 800MW,' Ramokgopa told EWN .
'The second thing is that we didn't have Medupi 4. We will have Medupi 4 by the end of May, which has been out for about four years, so that's another 800MW.'
'We are also going to have the benefits of both Koeberg units.'
To that end, Koeberg unit number 1 is expected to come back online in July.
Altogether, the country is projected to have about 2 500MW more electricity during peak winter demand than it did last year.
South Africans have a right to be skeptical however, after Eskom announced Stage 2 load shedding last Thursday.
This marked the first time in over 30 days that the power utility enforced rolling blackouts.
In a statement, Eskom attributed the load shedding to the loss of generation units and higher-than-usual demand.
By Friday morning, the power utility declared that there had been a recovery of generation units, and suspended load shedding.
Nonetheless, with winter looming, it didn't inspire confidence about energy availibility over the coming months.
While acknowledging that the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) remained below ideal levels in April, Ramokgopa attributed the recent issues to isolated post-maintenance failures.
'That was post-outage failure,' the Minister added.
'When you take the unit out on planned maintenance, when it comes back, it can still present a significant number of challenges. So that's something the team is addressing.'
'I really don't foresee that we are going to perform below what we did last year.'
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Eskom introduces chatbot Alfred for seamless customer service
Eskom has launched Alfred, an innovative AI-driven chatbot designed to enhance and expedite customer service interactions. Aiming to minimise queues and provide a safer, more efficient experience, Alfred allows customers to report power outages, receive instant reference numbers, and get real-time updates on existing faults, any time of day or night. Read more: City rejects Eskoms proposed electricity hike You can find Alfred on Eskom's main webpage, or start chatting directly by clicking here, or by selecting the chatbot icon on the top menu. Additionally, Alfred is available on WhatsApp at 08600 37566, making it accessible wherever you are. Eskom's Alfred is specifically for customers who can use their account or meter number to interact with the chatbot. Once engaged, Alfred allows you to log a power interruption as it happens and provides a reference number for your report. This makes it easy to track the progress of faults and stay informed without the need for long queues or phone calls. Also read: I think about Eskom every day. Why don't you? Eskom's commitment is to help customers access services more efficiently. For other self-service options, Eskom's Customer Service page is available for additional support. Should you experience any technical issues with Eskom's digital platforms, please report them to: mobility@ Alfred is a step forward in delivering 24/7 service, ensuring that Eskom customers remain connected and informed at all times. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Eskom urges customers to save electricity this winter season At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!


Mail & Guardian
2 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
'Liability for Damage Caused by Loadshedding: A Consideration of Whether Collective Action for Redress by Consumers in South Africa is Possible' (2024)
Name of research institution: University of Pretoria Name of faculty: Faculty of Law Name of department: Department of Mercantile Law Author: Dr Tshepiso Scott-Ngoepe. Email: Submitting authority: Department of Mercantile Law, University of Pretoria, Law Faculty. Submitter: Professor Stefan van Eck Designation: Acting Head of the Department of Mercantile Law, University of Pretoria Email: Short description: The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) aims to promote the welfare of consumers, particularly vulnerable ones. Loadshedding, introduced in 2007 to manage electricity demand, often results in power surges that damage consumer property, such as appliances. Section 61 of the CPA provides for liability where damage is caused by goods. This paper argues that section 61 could serve as a viable legal basis for collective redress by consumers against electricity suppliers like Eskom and local municipalities for such damages. This article was first published in the Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal . Link to full paper:


The South African
4 hours ago
- The South African
Strawberry Moon set to shine across South African skies
Attention stargazers – the 2025 Strawberry Moon is set to light up the South African night sky this evening, 10 June 2025. It's time to bring out your telescopes and cameras! To make this cosmic event even more special, the full moon will be the largest and lowest as it will ever be for the next 19 years. The Strawberry Moon will be visible to South Africans on Tuesday, 10 June and Wednesday, 11 June. According to the moon will reach its full phase at 9:43 AM tomorrow. The best time to view the moon will be at about 8:30 pm tonight, 10 June. However, the exact timing and position of the natural phenomenon will vary depending on your location. Last year, the moon was visible across the country, with many residents taking to social media to show off their stunning pictures. The Strawberry Moon is believed to have been named by Native American tribes. The name is not due to its pink hue but because the glowing moon signified the start of Strawberry season. The colour is related to how light shines as the moon passes through the thicker part of the atmosphere. The Strawberry Moon's sighting has coincided with multiple weather warnings across the country. The South African Weather Service issued a warning about the drop in temperatures. 'An extensive and severe winter weather system will have shifted further east over South Africa, affecting the central and eastern provinces. A significant and dramatic drop in daytime temperatures can be expected over all provinces, with the possible exception of Limpopo.' The weather service urged farmers to implement appropriate measures to prevent stock losses due to exposure to bitter cold and wind. It is expected that Gauteng and parts of Mpumalanga may experience light snowfall today, Tuesday, 10 June. However, the South African Weather Service will continue to monitor any further developments relating to the expected weather systems. South Africans will be updated as required, regarding all weather conditions as the Strawberry Moon shines tonight. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news