As more insurance companies are changing their policies regarding damage to items from load shedding, experts believe the country is teetering on the edge of a total blackout.
On Monday, Eskom announced the implementation of Stage 6 load shedding following the failure of two generating units.
Eskom said breakdowns are currently at 18 016MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 3 987MW.
"During the last 24 hours, a generating unit at Kriel Power Station has returned to service. In the same period, two other generation units at Kriel and a unit at Matla power stations were taken out of service due to breakdowns.
“In addition, the delay in returning units to service at Arnot, Camden, Kendal and two units each at Hendrina and Tutuka power stations continue to add to the current capacity constraints. The team is working around the clock to ensure that generating units are returned to service as soon as possible," the ailing entity said.
Group chief executive at the Whitford Group and energy expert, Adil Nchabeleng, said the country has technically moved beyond Stage 6 load shedding with some areas having no electricity for well over the hours as per Eskom's load shedding schedule.
In an interview with “Morning Live“, Nchabeleng said Eskom was lying to the public.
"Eskom has taken a decision to cap the announcement of load shedding at Stage 6 so they won't announce higher stages. As a result they are giving us the impression that everything is oscillating around Stage 6 which is actually a lie. It's beyond Stage 6," he said.
Nchabeleng said some areas go for up to 12 hours without electricity.
"Half of the country, almost 80% of the country is without electricity at every given time," he said.
Nchabeleng said the entire grid could collapse if the frequency level drops.
He explained that a grid collapse would mean a total blackout with technicians having to switch it off to correct the frequency levels.
"We are currently in a partial blackout. Half of the day you don't have electricity. They're managing in stages. So now look at the scenario where there's a complete non-availability of electricity, where there is from sunrise to sunset, right through the night, the entire grid has collapsed and there is no electricity in South Africa," he said.
“This would mean teams working behind the scenes to restart the system where all power stations around the country would have to be synchronised as the same voltage and frequency, meaning no electricity for the entire country," Nchabaleng said.
He said it's an unlikely scenario if Eskom can properly manage load shedding.
"So even if they have to increase load shedding to a point where it's 18 hours to 20 hours, they will literally trip the particular grid as well as the plants to make sure that the frequency is maintained but you will not have electricity. We are in a partial grid blackout right now," he said.
Nchabaleng added that it would take weeks to restore the grid but with the level of incompetence in SA, it could take much longer.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the grid could collapse if government implemented the court order which exempts hospitals, schools and some public facilities from load shedding.
IOL