Stage 16 load-shedding details revealed  

New regulations have been submitted to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) outlining how Eskom should implement load-shedding up to stage 16 if necessary.  

The regulations, presented by the National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Association of South Africa, provide guidelines for a structured approach to load-shedding beyond stage 8.  

Stage 16, although highly unlikely, would involve shedding the entire load of the country in a controlled manner to prevent a grid collapse. Certain essential loads may be exempted. Vally Padayachee, Chair of the NRS, emphasized that stage 16 was included as a contingency measure, and while its probability is extremely low, it is not zero.  

He also warned against false hope regarding reduced load-shedding and stated that resolving the load-shedding issue would take two years, with demand management being the best short-term solution. The coming winter months will be a significant test for Eskom’s generation fleet. 

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