Eskom Reports Sustained Power Stability, Projects Load-Shedding-Free Winter

South Africa’s state-owned power utility, Eskom, has reported sustained improvements in grid stability and operational efficiency, projecting a winter period free of load shedding as it continues to see gains under its Generation Recovery Plan.

In a power system update released on Friday, the utility stated that despite weather-driven demand pressures and elevated planned maintenance, the electricity network has remained stable. This success is attributed to improved plant performance and a significantly reduced reliance on diesel-powered generation.

Operational Gains and Grid Performance

For the financial year-to-date (April 1 to April 23, 2026), the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) rose to 60.47 per cent, an improvement of 4.48 percentage points compared to the same period in the previous financial year.

The utility noted that this performance was achieved despite increased planned maintenance, which averaged 7,847MW, or 16.83 per cent of total capacity, compared to 15.78 per cent in the prior year.

Unplanned outages also showed a marked decline. Between April 17 and 23, 2026, average unplanned outages fell to 12,173MW, down from 13,282MW recorded during the same period in 2025.

Consequently, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) dropped to 25.75 per cent, a reduction of 2.11 percentage points from the 27.86 per cent recorded last year.

These operational improvements have resulted in a significant milestone: South Africa has recorded 343 consecutive days without electricity supply interruptions since May 16, 2025, representing an availability rate of approximately 98.9 per cent.

Sharp Reduction in Diesel Expenditure

Eskom’s reliance on Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) has plummeted. Expenditure on diesel for the financial year-to-date stands at R250.11 million, an 87.49 per cent year-on-year reduction compared to the R1.999 billion incurred during the same period in 2025.

Electricity generated from diesel plants also dropped sharply to 30.038GWh, down from 335.34GWh in the corresponding period. The OCGT load factor currently stands at 1.61 per cent, well below both last year’s 17.95 per cent and the annual target of 3 per cent.

Looking ahead, the utility’s recently published Winter Outlook (covering April to August 2026) projects no load shedding, driven by these structural improvements in fleet performance.

Load Reduction Programme and Smart Meter Rollout

Eskom continues its phased programme to eliminate targeted load reduction in high-risk areas. To date, 352,968 customers have been removed from the load reduction schedule.

The utility has deployed 1,626,026 smart meters nationwide, with approximately 652,744 installations completed since April 1, 2025. Of these, 250,181 units were installed in high-priority load-reduction areas to ease grid pressure. While progress is ongoing, Eskom noted that resistance and intimidation against installation teams have delayed approximately 122,000 planned meter conversions.

Feeder Removal Progress:

Nationally, 211 feeders have been successfully removed from load reduction:

• Free State and KwaZulu-Natal: 101 feeders (104% of target)

• Gauteng: 51 feeders (40% of target)

• Limpopo and Mpumalanga: 37 feeders (100% of target)

• North West and Northern Cape: 12 feeders (133% of target)

• Eastern and Western Cape: 10 feeders (67% of target)

Eskom remains committed to eliminating load reduction across seven provinces by October 2026, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal—regions facing higher network risks, targeted for completion by 2027.

Addressing Illegal Connections

Despite the stable generation capacity, Eskom warned that illegal connections and meter tampering remain critical threats to infrastructure. The utility is countering these issues through a combination of smart metering, distributed energy integration, and expanded Free Basic Electricity (FBE) support.

Currently, 569,008 customers are registered for FBE, a 17.32 per cent increase from the baseline.

In its closing remarks, the utility reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, citing its weekly system updates and real-time data portal. Eskom urged communities to support these gains by protecting infrastructure and reporting illegal activity to the Eskom Crime Line.