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• load-shedding
  load-shedding

  noun

  the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.
• load shedding
  load shedding

  noun

  the act or practice of temporarily reducing the supply of electricity to an area to avoid overloading the generators

load-shedding

American  

[lohd-shed-ing] / ˈloʊdˌʃɛd ɪŋ /

Or loadshedding

noun

1. the deliberate shutdown of electric power in a part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of the system.

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load shedding British  

noun

1. the act or practice of temporarily reducing the supply of electricity to an area to avoid overloading the generators

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Etymology

Origin of load-shedding

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

At an ice cream parlour in Soweto, one company has been struggling to keep their frozen treats cold amid rolling power-cuts, referred to locally as "load shedding".

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2023

Millions of Pakistanis suffer partial blackouts almost daily, including scheduled "load shedding" power cuts aimed at conserving electricity.

From Reuters • Jan. 24, 2023

"As a last resort, organised, temporary and rotating load shedding outages can be activated to avoid a widespread incident," RTE said.

From Reuters • Sep. 14, 2022

But the entire country is now in the grip of long, daily power cuts, known euphemistically here as "load shedding".

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2022

“The problem is that with increased frequency of load shedding the batteries don’t have time to recharge properly and the phones don’t work,” he said.

From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2022