South Africa faces severe blackouts due to rain

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa´s ailing state power utility on Friday implemented the highest level of electricity rationing after its coal supply was dampened by rain.

Debt-ridden Eskom, which generates 95 percent of the country´s electricity, is reeling from years of corruption and mismanagement under former president Jacob Zuma´s government.

Despite multiple government bailouts, its poorly maintained coal-fired power stations struggle to keep up with the electricity demands of Africa´s most industrialised economy -- forcing it to implement rolling blackouts known as load shedding.

"Eskom has lost additional generation units this morning," said a company statement on Friday, one day after announcing a new bout of power cuts. "And with units not having returned to service as scheduled," it added, "load shedding (needs) to move up from stage 2 to stage 4".

The highest stage calls for 4,000 MW -- just under 10 percent of Eskom´s maximum effect -- to be cut from the national power grid. Eskom blamed days of "incessant rain" in several parts of the country.