Eskom’s Improved Performance Keeps Load Shedding at Bay

South Africa’s electricity supply remains stable as Eskom continues to record significant improvements in power station performance, operational reliability and financial efficiency, helping the country avoid load shedding for more than 376 consecutive days.

The power utility says its ongoing turnaround strategy is delivering measurable results despite rising electricity demand and colder seasonal temperatures.

Energy Availability Reaches Highest Levels in Years

Eskom reported that its financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has improved to 62.59%, compared with 57.43% during the same period last year.

The improvement of 5.17 percentage points reflects sustained gains under Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan, which was introduced to improve plant reliability and reduce unplanned outages.

According to the utility, current performance represents a 9.97% increase, equivalent to an additional 5.02GW of available generation capacity, compared with the same period three years ago when the recovery programme began.

The continued reduction in unexpected breakdowns has played a major role in strengthening the stability of the national power system.

Diesel Costs Drop by More Than 83%

Eskom has also achieved substantial savings in diesel expenditure used to operate its Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs).

The utility spent R559.17 million on diesel during the current reporting period, compared with R3.426 billion over the same period last year. This represents an 83.68% year-on-year reduction.

Diesel use during the past week was limited to periods of peak demand and to maintain the reserve margins required under the South African Grid Code.

Eskom said the sharp decline in diesel consumption highlights both the improved performance of its generation fleet and the financial benefits of reduced reliance on emergency power generation.

The utility noted that diesel expenditure figures were updated following financial reconciliation processes to ensure they accurately reflected actual usage and verified records.

Additional Generation Capacity Planned for Peak Demand

To further strengthen supply, Eskom expects to return approximately 1 010MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak demand period.

The additional capacity is expected to support the grid during higher winter demand and help maintain system stability as electricity consumption rises across the country.

The utility maintains that its operational improvements continue to enhance the reliability and efficiency of South Africa’s electricity network.

Load Reduction Programme Shows Positive Results

Eskom’s efforts to eliminate load reduction in high-risk areas are also making progress, with 651 828 customers already benefiting from reduced interruptions.

Load reduction is a temporary measure used in areas where illegal electricity connections, meter tampering and network overloading threaten the stability of local electricity infrastructure.

The utility has launched a phased programme aimed at completely ending load reduction by 2027. The initiative targets 971 feeders and is expected to benefit around 1.69 million customers nationwide from Eskom’s customer base of approximately 7.2 million.

Key measures include the rollout of smart metering technology, greater integration of Distributed Energy Resources, expansion of Free Basic Electricity support and community-focused customer education campaigns.

Eskom believes these interventions will improve network reliability, reduce electricity losses and ensure more equitable access to electricity services while strengthening the overall resilience of the national grid.