load shedding: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical (Engineering, Utilities), Formal News, Political Discourse
Quick answer
What does “load shedding” mean?
The deliberate shutdown of electric power in parts of a power distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand for electricity exceeds the supply.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The deliberate shutdown of electric power in parts of a power distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand for electricity exceeds the supply.
Can be extended metaphorically to describe any system or organization deliberately reducing its output or shutting down parts of its operations to prevent total collapse or failure, e.g., a hospital under extreme pressure might implement 'load shedding' by postponing non-urgent procedures.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used in both varieties. The concept is more commonly associated with the infrastructures of developing nations (e.g., South Africa, India, Pakistan) and is therefore more frequent in international news reporting.
Connotations
Carries strong negative connotations of economic difficulty, infrastructure failure, poor governance, and daily disruption for businesses and households.
Frequency
Relatively low frequency in domestic UK/US contexts, except in specific engineering discourse or international news.
Grammar
How to Use “load shedding” in a Sentence
[Country/Utility] + imposes/experiences/ends + load sheddingLoad shedding + occurs/hits/is scheduled + in/for [location]To + be + subject to + load sheddingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “load shedding” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The National Grid may need to shed load if demand peaks unexpectedly.
- They are shedding load in the northern regions to balance the system.
American English
- The utility was forced to shed load to prevent a cascading failure.
- Operators shed load according to a pre-defined rotation schedule.
adverb
British English
- Not typically used as an adverb.
American English
- Not typically used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The load-shedding schedule was published in the local paper.
- We face constant load-shedding problems.
American English
- The load shedding schedule was posted on the utility's website.
- The city entered a load-shedding period.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The factory's productivity fell by 30% due to unpredictable load shedding."
Academic
"The study models the economic impact of load shedding on small and medium enterprises."
Everyday
"We need to check the load shedding schedule before planning the dinner party."
Technical
"The grid operator initiated Stage 4 load shedding to protect the integrity of the national transmission system."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “load shedding”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “load shedding”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “load shedding”
- Using 'load shedding' to refer to a single, unplanned power outage (incorrect).
- Saying 'load shedding of water' (non-standard, use 'water rationing' or 'water cuts').
- Misspelling as 'loadshedding' (should be two words or hyphenated 'load-shedding').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A blackout is typically a widespread, unplanned, and total power outage. Load shedding is a series of planned, rotating, and partial outages designed to *prevent* a total system blackout.
In the technical sense, no; it is an action taken by a grid operator. However, individuals can be asked to 'reduce load' or 'conserve energy' to help the grid avoid the need for load shedding.
Both 'load shedding' (open compound) and 'load-shedding' (hyphenated, especially when used adjectivally) are acceptable. Dictionaries vary, but the trend is towards the open compound.
In grid management, the opposite state is 'stable base load operation' or 'meeting peak demand'. In common terms, it's having a 'reliable', 'uninterrupted', or 'stable' power supply.
The deliberate shutdown of electric power in parts of a power distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand for electricity exceeds the supply.
Load shedding is usually technical (engineering, utilities), formal news, political discourse in register.
Load shedding: in British English it is pronounced /ˈləʊd ˌʃedɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈloʊd ˌʃedɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(to be) in the dark (literal and metaphorical)”
- “lights out for (figurative, e.g., 'lights out for the local factory during load shedding')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a truck (LOAD) getting too heavy, so you SHED some of its cargo to prevent it from breaking down. Similarly, the electricity grid sheds parts of its load (customers) to prevent a total breakdown.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE POWER GRID IS A BURDENED BEARER (carrying a load). THE GRID OPERATOR IS A CARETAKER (who sheds load to protect the bearer).
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following scenarios is the term 'load shedding' used CORRECTLY?