Load-shedding spectre returns as unplanned outages rise

The spectre of load-shedding, which has haunted South Africa and its economy since 2008, but has lifted somewhat in recent years, appears to have returned. State-owned electricity producer Eskom confirmed with Engineering News Online on Thursday that the system had become vulnerable once again, owing primarily to a rise in unplanned outages. The breakdowns are coinciding with an increase in scheduled maintenance, which is always planned for the low-demand summer months.