LISTEN | National blackout unlikely, but don't be naive

Prepare for days with little power, says energy expert Liziwe McDaid

17 May 2023 - 17:46
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Eskom denies a total blackout is imminent. Stock photo.
Eskom denies a total blackout is imminent. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/Jakub Gojda

Expect higher stages of load-shedding this winter, but the possibility of a grid collapse is low, say energy experts.

Listen to them discuss a national collapse:

Higher load-shedding stages do not mean things are deteriorating, says energy economist Lungile Mashele. She adds that Eskom will experience a difficult time, but there will not  be a complete blackout.

This amid speculation, including from EFF leader Julius Malema, that such an occurrence is likely and will leave the country without power for days to a month.

Liziwe McDaid, strategic lead at The Green Connection, says there will be more demand on the grid and South Africans should not be naive. They should prepare for days with just a few hours of electricity, but there won't be a total collapse.

Energy analyst Chris Yelland says the chance of a complete blackout, though possible, is low, and Malema's comments earlier this week that the country will experience an outage for up to a month are untrue. Yelland says a national blackout will lead to looting similar to that of July 2021.

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