South Africa Records Over 230 Days Without Load Shedding

Over 200 days of uninterrupted electricity supply have been recorded in South Africa, easing pressure on the power system after years of chronic shortages.

In a statement seen by AEP, Eskom said the country had recorded 231 days without interrupted electricity supply, with only 26 hours of load shedding implemented in April and May during the current financial year.

The utility said it continues to meet electricity demand despite heavy rainfall in December 2025, citing sustained improvements in generation performance and disciplined maintenance execution across its power stations.

“The Generation Recovery Plan is delivering clear results,” Eskom said, adding that intensive planned maintenance over the past financial year has strengthened the generation fleet, improved reliability, and enhanced overall operational resilience.

Eskom reported that the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) rose to 69.14% in December 2025, a year-on-year improvement of 12.57 percentage points from 56.57% in December 2024. On a year-to-date basis, EAF has increased to 64.35%, with the fleet reaching or exceeding the 70% benchmark on 49 occasions.

According to the utility, the recovery has been driven primarily by a sharp reduction in unplanned outages. Between 26 December 2025 and 1 January 2026, average unplanned outages fell to 6,822 megawatts, less than half the 12,328MW recorded over the same period last year.

Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor declined to 14.06%, compared with 26.12% a year earlier.

Planned maintenance remains aligned with Eskom’s maintenance schedule, supporting efforts to improve plant reliability and long-term fleet performance. The improved EAF has also reduced Eskom’s reliance on costly diesel-fired generation, allowing greater use of primary energy sources.

To sustain system stability, Eskom said it would bring 5,585MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 5 January 2026.

Eskom’s Summer Outlook, published in September 2025 and covering the period through March 2026, projects no load shedding, assuming continued improvements under the Generation Recovery Plan.

However, the utility cautioned that distribution-level challenges persist. Severe festive-season weather led to a roughly 40% increase in faults across the distribution network compared with the same period last year, leaving some communities without power due to damaged infrastructure.

Eskom said illegal connections and meter tampering continue to pose safety risks and damage infrastructure, prompting the utility to maintain load reduction in high-risk areas as a temporary measure.

To address these challenges, Eskom has launched a phased programme aimed at eliminating load reduction by 2027. The programme targets 971 feeders and is expected to benefit about 1.69 million customers through interventions including smart meter installations, distributed energy resources, and expanded Free Basic Electricity support.

Eskom said it is accelerating the rollout of smart meters, with more than 73,000 already installed, and continues to remove feeders from load reduction as part of its broader network modernisation drive.

The utility called on communities to report illegal connections and protect electricity infrastructure, warning that continued vandalism and tampering threaten supply stability.

“Eskom is harnessing technology, upgrading infrastructure, and partnering with communities to ensure a safer, smarter, and more reliable power network for South Africa,” it said.

Eskom had previously marked a similar milestone on Oct. 13, 2024, when it reported 200 consecutive days without load shedding since March 26 that year, attributing the improvement to its Generation Operational Recovery Plan.