The revision of loadshedding to include stage 16, is not a call to prepare for the worst, said Nhlanhla Gumede, Head honcho at the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).
Speaking to media yesterday, he said the latest exercise, is just a revision of a code of conduct and protocol.
Gumede said the revised document will guide the system’s operator to implement loadshedding, to protect the power system. “It is a code of practise for real-time emergency loadshedding, how it should be implemented and communicated.”
Gumede said loadshedding is neither a blackout nor a brownout.
A blackout is an unplanned total nationwide crash of the power grid caused by an imbalance (demand outstrips supply), between power generation and consumption.
He said a brownout is an intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in electrical power supply system (more like dimming the lights).
Loadshedding on the other hand, is an intentional, mechanism, of avoiding both a blackout and a brownout, through time-based interruption of supply to customers.
Power would be off for at least 32 hours, in the event of stage 16. About 80% of demand would not be met.
Many organizations and analysts have had conversations on the likelihood of a grid collapse, and its impact on industry. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa), the Kleinman Center for energy policy, and others, considered the effects of such on ICT.
Various insurance companies have also mapped different scenarios.
In a statement released in May 2023, the power utility said “Eskom refutes these claims and would like to assure South Africans that there are measures in place to avoid the collapse of the power system. Loadshedding is one of these mechanisms.”
At the time, Eskom said the likelihood of such an event is low, due to measures it has implemented, including loadshedding, which is a preventative approach.
“The grid is by no means at a higher or imminent risk of a collapse and it would take an unforeseen and sudden sequence of events that result in a cascading collapse of the transmission or generation system, leading to a complete loss of supply across the country. Eskom has robust contingency plans in place
to deal with such an eventuality” interim Group Chief Executive Officer, Calib Cassim, said at the time.
Vally Padayachee, of the National Regulator Association of South Africa, expressed satisfaction at the wide consultation process for the NRS 048-9-16 (new document with revised stages of loadshedding). He said the “human error risk” factor was addressed in the latest document.
A list of blackouts around the world, presented by NERSA.
Cover Picture: Live Science