Stage 16 load shedding guidelines an ‘insurance measure’ - Ramokgopa

CAPE TOWN - Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said the possibility of stage 16 load shedding would only be for planning purposes and what he called an "insurance measure".

Ramokgopa was responding to questions about a potential level of stage 16 power cuts after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) approved the new stage guidelines.

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The minister briefed the media on Tuesday about the lower frequency of load shedding as the country entered 13 days with no power cuts.

Ramokgopa said the stage 16 guidelines were essentially to communicate that in the ultimate worst-case scenario, the system operator had a plan and a way to protect the grid but he said there’s no link to Eskom’s current performance.

"I make the point that everyone that can afford medical aid, it doesn’t follow that you’re expecting tomorrow you will be hospitalised. So essentially, it’s an insurance measure. That’s what this exercise has been doing. It’s got no correlation with where we are at."

Ramokgopa said the suspension of load shedding is due to aggressive maintenance of key power plants that are now performing and improving generation.