Load shedding stage 2 implemented now
It said despite significant progress in their generation recovery efforts, higher-than-expected electricity demand, the loss of generation units, and extensive planned maintenance have placed strain on the system.
#PowerAlert1
Thursday, 24 April 2025:
Despite significant progress in our generation recovery efforts, higher-than-expected electricity demand, the loss of generation units, and extensive planned maintenance have placed strain on the system. As a result, Stage 2 loadshedding…
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) April 24, 2025
'As a result, Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented from 16:00 today and will remain in effect until 05:00 tomorrow.
'Given these ongoing constraints, we urge the public to use electricity sparingly to help reduce pressure on the grid. Eskom sincerely apologises for the inconvenience and will continue to provide updates as necessary.'
The City of Tshwane typically releases updated load shedding schedules shortly after Eskom's announcements. You can access the latest schedules on the official City of Tshwane website.
Click here if you are not sure which areas you fall under.
Also read: Feline Parvo outbreak in Pretoria – here is what you should know
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Maverick
6 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Activists raise concerns as nuclear site close to Cape Town given go-ahead
South Africa is one step closer to a second nuclear power station after Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dion George last week upheld a contested, almost decade-old environmental authorisation. South Africa's long-running bid to expand its nuclear power capacity has cleared a key and contentious hurdle. Environment Minister Dion George has upheld an environmental authorisation allowing Eskom to develop a new 4,000MW nuclear power station at Duynefontein, about 35km north of Cape Town. The decision affirms a 2017 approval that had been under appeal for years. It paves the way for Eskom to pursue a nuclear build at the roughly 265-hectare site. That, however, does not mean shovels will hit the ground any time soon. 'In the end, my decision was made in respect of the principles of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), and with full appreciation of the environmental, social and economic considerations involved,' said George. He said that the granting of an environmental authorisation 'does not exempt an applicant from complying with any other applicable legal requirements or obtaining permits from other competent authorities'. The news is one step forward after a previous step back on the contested journey towards new nuclear capacity. Daily Maverick previously reported that at the end of 2023, Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced that all the 'suspensive conditions' to start procuring 2,500MW of new nuclear power immediately had been met. Months later, in August 2024, Ramokgopa announced that he would withdraw that gazette to procure new nuclear power capacity in response to the 'substantive' legal challenges posed by the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute and Earthlife Africa Johannesburg — and that is where things have stood until George's announcement last week. Government and industry proponents have hailed the move as a milestone. The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), in a statement, said it reflected confidence in nuclear technology as a contributor to the country's energy mix. Necsa CEO Loyiso Tyabashe added that 'this approval marks an important milestone for the nuclear industry and South Africa's journey towards implementing a balanced energy mix that enables socioeconomic development and is climate friendly. The minister's decision shows rigour of the process that was followed to choose an appropriate site for nuclear new build and reflects confidence in nuclear technology as a safe, clean and reliable energy solution.' While the environmental approval is a prerequisite, Eskom still faces a gauntlet of steps before any concrete is poured. These include securing licences, obtaining design and construction approvals, sourcing financing for what is likely to be a multihundred-billion-rand project, and government sign-off on procurement. This drawn-out pathway is not just procedural. South Africa's last major nuclear procurement drive under former president Jacob Zuma collapsed amid allegations of secrecy and corruption risks and procedural failures. Environmental activists, however, are not as welcoming of the news, warning that the country's financial, operational and governance challenges make a major nuclear build risky and unnecessary. The 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize winners and anti-nuclear activists, Makoma Lekalakala and Liziwe McDaid, said in a statement that 'Earthlife Africa is considering the minister's decision and our next steps. Our concerns include the length of time taken to conduct the environmental impact assessment and to make the appeal decision. 'We are also deeply concerned about the affordability of nuclear power, particularly the high upfront capital costs, the risk of construction delays, and the cost overruns that have been experienced worldwide. 'In addition, there has been no assessment of the socioeconomic impacts of a major beyond-design-basis nuclear incident, nor of the generation of long-lived high-level radioactive waste for which no final disposal solution yet exists.' Peter Becker, a former board member of the National Nuclear Regulator and anti-nuclear activist, told Daily Maverick that above and beyond these concerns, South Africa had bled the requisite nuclear industry expertise to safely operate a nuclear power station. He also questioned the logic and application of timelines as they related to environmental authorisations. 'When an Environmental Assessment (EA) is issued, it has a time limit. This one had a 10-year limit. So the idea of having a 10-year expiry date on environmental authorisation is an acknowledgement that the environment might change. 'The surrounding population might change, the needs and desirability of the projects might change, and that is particularly true when it comes to such a fast-changing environment as the electricity sector where we are seeing disruptive changes. And those disruptive changes are in terms of dramatic learning curves and dropping of prices of alternative sources of energy, such as renewables, battery storage, etc, and also vast changes in demographics. 'So there's a bit of a gap in the legal system in this country in that once an EA is issued, you can appeal it, and that suspends the EA, but when does the expiry start?' Becker explained that depending on how this was interpreted legally, it could either mean Eskom would need to begin construction at the site within less than two years, or the 10-year period started only on Friday after the minister's approval. In the time since the original approval, the underlying expert information that informed that original authorisation may have significantly changed. The July 2023 Review of Environmental Impact Report and Specialist Studies commissioned for Eskom largely confirms as much. That review concluded that the 2017 Environmental Authorisation can still stand without re-assessing impacts, even though much of the underlying data and assumptions are more than 10 years old. This is significant because the review was not a technical re-evaluation. It assumed the original data and impact findings were correct, focusing instead on whether or not they were still relevant. Moreover, the review admits that the original statement that renewables 'could not provide adequate baseload' may 'no longer be correct' due to rapid renewable energy development since the Environmental Impact Assessment was finalised. This is important because it validates a key argument used by those opposed to new nuclear capacity: that the energy context has changed and might affect the rationale for new nuclear energy. DM
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- The Citizen
Smart surveillance pilot cuts crime and boosts police response
Tshwane metro police, together with MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee, recently visited the Proof of Concept (POC) control room in the Hatfield CID to review the progress of the metro's new high-tech crime prevention initiative. The project uses CCTV technology to detect suspicious activity and enable faster police responses, with plans now underway to expand the network and explore drone use as an additional crime-fighting tool. 'This is to assist with crime prevention and car hijacking to make Tshwane a safer place,' said Coetzee. Security service provider Vumacam spokesperson Alex Bouch said the CCTV project was launched five weeks ago and has already shown promising results. He stated that dispatches to incidents increased from 65 in the first week to 133 by week five. 'This has led to 30 interceptions and 15 arrests, with suspects facing charges ranging from theft and robbery to fraud.' Bouch explained that the system is designed to detect vehicles of interest entering the monitored area, allowing for quick interception by law enforcement. He added that the system also helps safeguard critical infrastructure such as power cables and traffic lights from criminal activity. 'The pilot project is also being used to integrate CCTV monitoring with TMPD's workflows and to train operators to use the system independently.' Bouch said this enables more targeted camera deployments in high-priority areas and faster police response times. Commissioner Yolanda Faro, TMPD Chief of Police, expressed strong support for the initiative, calling it an important step forward in using technology to improve law enforcement. According to the Hatfield CID, they have also already seen tangible benefits from the system. CEO Lucas Luckhoff reported a significant drop in crime year-on-year and an increase in arrests since the pilot began. 'The CCTV network also assists the SAPS with investigations, and we are looking to expand the network further,' he said. 'The system is reputable, and the support from the Vumacam team is world-class, helping the Hatfield CID to manage the precinct effectively.' He said plans are underway to both increase the number of cameras and explore the use of drones as additional crime-fighting tools. ALSO READ: Blanket drive is compassion and care in action Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
IOL News
19 hours ago
- IOL News
NECSA backs Eskom's Duynefontein nuclear power station for energy security
Eskom has received environmental authorisation to proceed with the construction of the 4 000 megawatt (MW) power station in Duynefontein, near the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape. Image: Mike Hutchings/Reuters Banele Ginidza The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has voiced robust support for Eskom's plans to initiate the construction of a new nuclear power station in Duynefontein, situated adjacent to the Koeberg facility. This initiative signifies a critical move towards enhancing South Africa's energy security and is set to adhere to the highest standards of safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance, as previously demonstrated by Eskom at the Koeberg nuclear power plant. Necsa is keen on expanding its role in nuclear fuel manufacturing and, in April, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). In this context, the organisation on Monday welcomed the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Dion George's announcement that Eskom has received environmental authorisation to proceed with the construction of the 4 000 megawatt (MW) power station in Duynefontein, following a successful appeal against an earlier decision issued in 2017. This announcement unlocks the pathway for Eskom to secure several essential statutory authorisations. These include a Nuclear Installation Licence from the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), approval from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), and a water use licence from the Department of Water and Sanitation, alongside various other approvals from the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. "This approval marks an important milestone for the nuclear industry and South Africa's journey towards implementing a balanced energy mix that enables socio-economic development and is climate friendly," said Necsa CEO, Loyiso Tyabashe. "The Minister's decision shows rigour of the process that was followed to choose an appropriate site for nuclear new build and reflects confidence in nuclear technology as a safe, clean, and reliable energy solution." Tyabashe said nuclear power remained a crucial component of South Africa's baseload energy mix, and part of the government's strategy to reduce greenhouse emission. "Necsa supports initiatives that reinforce the use of nuclear technology and its applications for power and beyond power for peaceful means and development," Tyabashe said. "Necsa continues to work with the Department of Electricity and Energy as well as Eskom as a partner and commits to contribute its technical expertise to maximise the benefits of nuclear energy." In addition to expanding its role in nuclear fuel manufacturing and intergrating small modular reactors (SMRs) into South Africa's energy plans, Necsa is also pursuing a R60 billion nuclear build programme. Environmentalists and civil society advocates are objecting to the decision to uphold Eskom's 2017 environmental authorisation, particularly due to reliance on outdated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies, which raised alarms about the risks posed by high seismic activity and dense human populations in the area. In reaction to this announcement, Koeberg Action Alliance (KAA) spokesperson Peter Becker described the decision as a surprise, adding that civil society will be meeting to discuss the options. Becker said as the EIA process was started in 2007, and so much has changed since then, including population density, and the cost of alternatives, thus it was not rational to ignore these changes in the environment of the proposed plant and to base such a crucial decision on thoroughly outdated studies. "It is of note that the EIA consultants found that Duynefontein (Koeberg) was not the best site for a new plant, due to seismic risks and population density in the area," Becker said. "It appears the DFFE has been pressured to override the consultants' view due to economic factors. It is of course far cheaper to build a new plant where there is already existing infrastructure." BUSINESS REPORT
