Johannesburg- Eskom has warned that the country could soon face Stage 8 blackouts after the Department of Environmental Affairs rejected Eskom’s application to allow it to pollute more than is legally allowed.
Eskom is appealing the decision, which will see about 16,000 megawatts taken off the grid.
Load shedding has been suspended for a while in the country.
The standards – called the Minimum Emission Standard (MES) – legally bind the power utility to immediately scale down the carbon emissions polluted by its coal-fired power stations.
Eskom had applied for its power stations to be temporarily exempted from the MES.
“Eskom’s request for postponements at Matla, Duvha, Matimba, Medupi and Lethabo [power stations] were declined completely. Postponement applications for Majuba, Tutuka, Kendal, and Kriel were partially granted. Eskom has reviewed the decisions and believes they will have a very significant impact on Eskom’s ability to provide electricity.
“If implemented, the decision will result in an immediate shutting down of 16 000MW of installed coal fired capacity. This would have a significant negative impact on the economy and employment, particularly in Mpumalanga and Lephalale, and delay the country’s plans for a just energy transition toward a cleaner electricity supply,” Eskom said on Wednesday.
The power utility said it is engaging the DFFE, the Public Enterprises Department and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on the matter.
Take a look at how tweeps reacted to Eskom’s warning on Twitter below:
So stage 8 they come to your house and switch off your candles and torches 😭😭😭
— Bonginkosi Linda Nkosi (@lindz_malindz) December 15, 2021
https://twitter.com/Stephen10810/status/1471014044702330880?s=20
Honestly as a country we have been accepting the bare minimum for so long. It's not normal to have blackouts every 2 weeks. The fact that they are even comfortable with telling us that stage 8 could be implemented and it's business as usual is astounding
— Lebone_Molepo (@Dorothy_Molepo) December 15, 2021
Eskom is threatening us with stage 8 loadshedding?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂I hate this government😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Thendo Muloiwa (@MuloiwaThendo) December 15, 2021
Eskom is warning us to expect Stage 8 electricity blackouts
Actually Eskom stands for Electricity Stages for Keeping Off Msanzi
It seems generator prices will be on the rise, as the demand increases
The skhothanes will be owners of generators pic.twitter.com/7RwErwqHul
— Lord of Knives🔪®฿ (@Rathipa_Rampedi) December 15, 2021
🤣🤣😂🤣 Apparently in stage 8 even the candles can't light
— Man's Not Barry Roux (@adovovBerryRoux) December 15, 2021
On Stage 8 #JMPD will be switching off the sunlight 🤣 pic.twitter.com/5p3zElY8E5
— Royal K🤴🏼 (@MessageMan_00) December 15, 2021
Eskom possible Stage 8 loadshedding even with DD Mabuza as president we can't escape that company pic.twitter.com/CCmDP7s4Zr
— 𝖏𝖆𝖇𝖚𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖎 𝕸𝖆𝖈𝖉𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑𝖉⚡️ (@Jabu_Macdonald) December 15, 2021
Imagine a December re nale loading stage 8 bathong. Nka screamer gore!
— Athi Mtongana (@AthiMtongana) December 15, 2021
The big story of the day is the possibility of @Eskom_SA implementing stage 8 of blackout. This is economic sabotage. Please @DDMabuza and @CyrilRamaphosa wake. This statement is going to cause a huge damage on the economy. You have to to clarify these. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
— Sophie Mokoena (@Sophie_Mokoena) December 15, 2021
I’m convinced that they don’t care about our choices right now,ubaba , vaccines, stage 8 eskom, December is not even the same. pic.twitter.com/gsNGK20zrS
— St IgnatiusFLA⚡️H (@17Flash) December 15, 2021
We’ve never had stage 8 before, why stage 8 ka December. This will increase crime nje.
— Tomi Rikhotso (@TomiRikhotso) December 15, 2021
Stage 8 means that almost 14 hours of the day we will not have electricity, that's almost 60% of day with no power. This country is wild wild.
— Thendo Muloiwa (@MuloiwaThendo) December 15, 2021
Wtf is stage 8 now? Uzohamba the whole day? https://t.co/NtoPduBPOD pic.twitter.com/Spynv17AJI
— 👑Indlovukazi❤ (@peendy_Lwandle) December 15, 2021
New variant, now Stage 8????? What kind of December is this?? pic.twitter.com/r0zxnpB46e
— ㄥ乇乇 (@LeeCore_) December 15, 2021
Stage 8 is when they come to your house to drain your phone battery. pic.twitter.com/VB22A1KXds
— chun swae. (@girl_kaybee) December 15, 2021
Stage 8 means they take electricity 4 times in 24hours for 2 hours… pic.twitter.com/t0tKN7dXFq
— Vus'umuzi ka Mthombeni (@Vusi_Mthomben1) December 15, 2021
Eskom must just say that they don't wanna supply us with electricity once, what the hell is stage 8 nje?😫 pic.twitter.com/eWdQdRCg5A
— Bonginkosi Linda Nkosi (@lindz_malindz) December 15, 2021
Dammit!! Kana stage 8 its where we forced to walk around with our eyes closed pic.twitter.com/VTTXzFtxiT
— Mr Motswana🇿🇦 (@katlegomotswana) December 15, 2021
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