Restore the power grid | South Africans in the dark about Stage 16

JOHANNESBURG - A new blackout schedule is being proposed that would go up to Stage 16.

This is in line with the National Rationalised Specifications Association's proposal in March.

It says this is necessary given the state of the grid and higher demand expected over winter.

READ: Eskom 'proposes' up to Stage 16 blackouts

But, energy expert Chris Yelland says Eskom is discriminatory when it comes to power cuts.

He says energy-intensive users -- which include mines and manufacturers -- are given preferential treatment.

''If you operate a power system where demand is greater than supply and you do nothing about it, it will trip," Yelland said.

READ: Stage 6 will be with us almost indefinitely: Ramokgopa

"If we didn't have this document, we would have a national document.

"I also want to say that there are various areas of discrimination I've identified.

"Large Eskom key industrial customers are given significantly preferential treatment. Manufacturing, cultures domestic users, they get off very lightly indeed compared to the rest of us."