How many hours of load shedding per day is each stage?

Stage 1: ~2 hours/day. Stage 2: ~4 hours/day. Stage 3: ~6 hours/day. Stage 4: ~8 hours/day. Stage 5: ~10 hours/day. Stage 6: ~12 hours/day. The actual schedule rotates so it is not the same hours every day.

What size inverter or UPS do I need for load shedding in South Africa?

For basic backup (lights, router, laptop) during a 2–4hr outage: 100Ah/1.2kWh lithium battery (R8,000–R15,000). For fridge, TV, and lights for 4–6hrs: 200Ah/2.4kWh (R20,000–R35,000). To power most appliances for 8+ hours: a 5kWh+ system (R50,000–R80,000).

How much does load shedding cost South Africa economically?

Load shedding costs the South African economy an estimated R500 million to R1 billion per stage per day. For households and small businesses, direct costs include food spoilage, lost work productivity, generator fuel, and UPS battery replacements — estimated at R2,000–R5,000 per household per month during Stage 4.

What is the difference between a UPS and an inverter for load shedding?

A UPS switches to battery automatically within milliseconds — ideal for computers and sensitive electronics. An inverter switches in 20–40 milliseconds and is better for appliances like fridges, TVs, and lights. A "hybrid inverter" with lithium batteries is the most popular solution as it can also integrate solar panels.

How do I check my load shedding schedule?

Check the EskomSePush app (free) for real-time schedules by suburb. The Eskom website (eskom.co.za) publishes the national stage and schedules. Your municipality may also have their own schedule if they are not directly supplied by Eskom.

Load Shedding Calculator

Calculate the real financial impact of load shedding on your household or business. Enter your stage level, frequency, productivity loss, and backup power options to see your monthly cost and the right UPS/inverter/battery size for your needs.

⚡ Quick Calculator Get a fast estimate

Load Shedding Stage

Days of Load Shedding per Month

days

Estimated Monthly Food Spoilage

Fridge/freezer contents lost, candles, etc.

Work Hours Lost per Day (WFH/business)

hrs/day

Hours of productive work lost per outage day

Your Hourly Rate / Value

R/hr

Your earnings or business value per hour

Generator Fuel Cost per Month

If using a generator. Leave 0 if not applicable.

UPS/Inverter Battery Needed

Monthly Financial Impact

R 11 700

Hours Without Power/Month

160 hours

Productivity Loss

R 10 000

Food Spoilage

R 500

Generator Fuel

R 1 200

Annual Impact

R 140 400

Recommended Backup (Lights, fridge, TV (~4–6 hrs))

R20 000–R35 000

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How to Use the Load Shedding Calculator

Stage Level: Select the current or average Eskom stage you experience.
Days per Month: How many days per month you experience load shedding.
Food Spoilage: Estimate the value of food lost monthly due to fridge/freezer outages.
Work Hours Lost: Hours of productive work lost per load shedding day.
Generator Fuel: Monthly fuel cost if you use a generator.

The Extended Calculator below shows a stage timeline SVG with home, business, and essential services tabs. The Professional Calculator sizes your backup power from actual appliance loads with autonomy estimates.

Need more detail?

📊 Extended Calculator More options, charts, and scenario comparison

Load Shedding Stage

Shedding Days Per Month

Stage 2 — Daily Power Schedule (avg)

Select Applicable Costs:

Food spoilage (fridge off) (R 3.50/hr)Candles/torches/batteries (R 2.00/hr)Lost work/productivity (WFH) (R 25.00/hr)UPS battery degradation (R 1.50/hr)

Monthly Home Impact

R 440.00

Per Hour Off

R 5.50

Per Day

R 22.00

Annual Cost

R 5280.00

Load Shedding Stages Explained

Eskom load shedding hours per day

Stage 1: ~2 hours/day — 4 rotational blocks per week

Stage 2: ~4 hours/day

Stage 3: ~6 hours/day

Stage 4: ~8 hours/day (most common at peak crisis)

Stage 5: ~10 hours/day

Stage 6: ~12 hours/day

Use EskomSePush or eskom.co.za to check your area's schedule.

Backup Power Sizing Guide

What can each system power?

Small (100Ah/1.2kWh — R8,000–R15,000): LED lights, Wi-Fi router, laptop, phone charging for 2–4 hours.

Medium (200Ah/2.4kWh — R20,000–R35,000): Lights, fridge, TV, laptop for 4–6 hours. Covers Stage 4 outages.

Large (5kWh+ — R50,000–R80,000): Most appliances for 8–12 hours. Best paired with solar panels.

Need full precision?

🔬 Professional Calculator Complete parameters, sensitivity analysis, and detailed breakdown

Load Shedding Stage

Required Backup Hours

Shedding Days Per Month

Battery System Voltage

Depth of Discharge (%)

Select Loads to Back Up

Include	Load	Watts	Critical?
	Internet router		Yes
	Laptop x1		Yes
	LED lights (5x)		Yes
	TV + decoder		—
	Fridge (medium)		Yes
	Security alarm system		Yes
	CCTV system		—
	Desktop PC		—

Load Summary

480W total / 280W critical

Required Energy

1.92 kWh

Battery Autonomy

4.0 hrs

System Sizing Recommendations

Solution	Minimum Size	Estimated Cost	Pros
UPS System	1.92 kWh	R 8 640	Seamless switchover, quiet
Inverter + Battery	0.6 kVA / 50Ah @ 48V	R 3 450	Scalable, can add solar
Generator	1 kVA	R 8 000	Unlimited runtime

Generator Fuel Cost Analysis

Generator Consumption (L/hr)

Fuel Price (R/L)

Litres Per Day

6.0 L

Monthly Fuel Cost

R 2 700

Annual Fuel Cost

R 32 400

Frequently Asked Questions

Stage 1: ~2 hrs/day. Stage 2: ~4 hrs. Stage 3: ~6 hrs. Stage 4: ~8 hrs. Stage 5: ~10 hrs. Stage 6: ~12 hrs. Stages 7–8 reach 14–16 hrs/day but are rarely declared officially.

Basic (lights, router, laptop): 100Ah battery (R8,000–R15,000). Standard (fridge, TV, lights, 4–6hrs): 200Ah (R20,000–R35,000). Full backup (most appliances, 8+ hrs): 5kWh+ system (R50,000–R80,000).

Load shedding costs the SA economy an estimated R500m–R1bn per stage per day. Households and businesses face R2,000–R5,000/month in direct costs during Stage 4 from food spoilage, productivity loss, and fuel.

A UPS switches within milliseconds — ideal for computers. An inverter switches in 20–40ms — fine for fridges, lights, and TVs. A hybrid inverter can also connect solar panels and is the most popular load shedding solution in SA.

Use the EskomSePush app (free, by suburb) or visit eskom.co.za for the national schedule. Your municipality may have their own schedule if not directly supplied by Eskom.

Load Shedding Calculator

How to Use the Load Shedding Calculator

Load Shedding Stages Explained

Eskom load shedding hours per day

Backup Power Sizing Guide

What can each system power?

Frequently Asked Questions

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