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Eskom’s crisis escalates: Stage 6 load shedding will strike South Africa tonight

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Update, 10pm Monday 9 December: Eskom “unreservedly apologised” on Monday evening for implementing Stage 6 load shedding. It announced that from 10pm, Stage 4 will continue until 11pm on Tuesday.

Original article: Eskom on Monday evening took the unprecedented step of implementing Stage 6 load shedding.

In an announcement on Twitter, that almost immediately received widespread criticism from users, Eskom will aim to shed 6000MW of demand from the grid.

The power utility blamed a “technical problem” at Medupi, its largest coal power plant, on the further escalation.

“We regret and sincerely apologise that stage 4 load shedding will move to Stage 6 load shedding as from 6pm today, as a result of a shortage of capacity,” it said in an extended statement posted to Facebook.

“The heavy rains has caused coal handling and operational problems at several power stations.”

“We remind and assure customers that load shedding at Stage 6 is no cause for alarm as the system is being effectively controlled. Stage 6, requires 6000MW to be rotationally loadshed,” it added.

Stage 6 will begin at 6pm.

The news comes just hours after Eskom reimplemented Stage 4 load shedding. It noted that at the time, 14 200MW was rendered unavailable.

Developing…