Stage 2 load shedding, which was implemented from 12:00 on Friday due to an increase in generation unit breakdowns, will resume at 09:00 on Saturday morning, Eskom said in a statement.
"While Eskom expects some generation units to return to service during the night, we will continue implementing stage 2 load shedding until 22:00. Load shedding will then be suspended until 09:00 tomorrow [Saturday], when it resumes again at the stage 2 level and continues until 22:00," Eskom said on Friday evening.
Three of the six generation units contributing to earlier breakdowns have been returned to service, with a net effect of reducing plant breakdowns to 2 350MW, the utility added. Earlier, the loss had stood at over 3 000MW.
Tutuka, Arnot and Matimba power stations have had successful repairs, but there have been breakdowns at Kendal, Tutuka, and Majuba, with a delayed return to service of a unit at Duvha.
There was also a delay in the return to service of a unit at Duvha.
Eskom has managed to avoid load shedding thus far during the lockdown, although Gauteng has faced bouts of localised rolling blackouts known as "load rotation", which Eskom has attributed to a prevalence of vandalism and illegal connections.
In a separate statement, the City of Cape Town said earlier on Friday that while Eskom-supplied customers would be on stage 2 load shedding, City-supplied customers would be on stage 1 from 12:00 until 22:00 on Friday.
