Load-shedding to continue on Friday, but reduced to level 1

Eskom said on Thursday night that it was reducing load-shedding to level 1 for Friday, as four its generation units returned and supply constraints ease. 

Level 1 will be in place from 9am to 10pm on Friday.

"Four generators were returned to service at the Duvha, Kriel, Tutuka and Kusile power stations. Three more units are expected to return to service during the night," it said.

"Unplanned breakdowns stand at 11,250MW of capacity, adding to the 4,400MW currently out on planned maintenance."

While it said supply constraints eased on Thursday afternoon, the parastatal urged South Africans to use electricity sparingly as the aged generation infrastructure was unreliable and volatile.

"Any deterioration in the generation performance may therefore necessitate the escalation in the stage of load-shedding at short notice."

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