Regular ‘black start’ tests
Eskom GM Isabel Fick said the utility’s system operator does not have load-shedding levels beyond stage 8 but was prepared for a catastrophe.
Addressing media on Sunday, she said the utility would regularly conduct “black start” tests.
“A black start test is basically when you test pieces of power plants to look at their adequacy should we have an unfortunate situation when we black out the entire system,” said Fick.
“Black start tests happen on a three-yearly basis for different parts of the plant. There are also different tests performed at different intervals.”
According to Fick, it is difficult to give a simple answer for when Eskom did the last full “black start” test.
She said the power utility conducted one of its main “black start” tests on August 23.
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Could SA face ‘a few weeks’ of blackout? Eskom says it's possible
Image: 123RF/Jakub Gojda
Eskom has warned the country could be left without electricity for weeks should there be a total collapse of the national grid.
The power utility this week published a guide on the load-shedding process, informing the public about how power cuts prevent a total grid collapse.
This comes after the country was plunged into stage 6 load-shedding at the weekend, with executives warning there was a risk the situation could deteriorate further this week.
Eskom implemented stage 5 load-shedding on Tuesday, with the possibility of reducing the stage by Thursday.
In the guide to the load-shedding process, Eskom said in the event the grid collapses, this would result in a total blackout which would leave the entire country without power for “a few weeks” as it recovers.
It said there would be no time to announce in advance that residents should prepare for a blackout.
“If preventative measures, including load-shedding, are insufficient, the national grid will collapse. A blackout is unforeseen and therefore the system operator will not be able to make an announcement in advance,” said Eskom.
“A national blackout will have massive implications, and every effort is made to prevent this from occurring. Depending on the nature of the emergency, it could take a few weeks for the grid to recover from a blackout.”
Image: Eskom.
Regular ‘black start’ tests
Eskom GM Isabel Fick said the utility’s system operator does not have load-shedding levels beyond stage 8 but was prepared for a catastrophe.
Addressing media on Sunday, she said the utility would regularly conduct “black start” tests.
“A black start test is basically when you test pieces of power plants to look at their adequacy should we have an unfortunate situation when we black out the entire system,” said Fick.
“Black start tests happen on a three-yearly basis for different parts of the plant. There are also different tests performed at different intervals.”
According to Fick, it is difficult to give a simple answer for when Eskom did the last full “black start” test.
She said the power utility conducted one of its main “black start” tests on August 23.
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