As industries gradually resume operations following the festive break, Eskom says its power system remains stable and ready to meet the projected rise in electricity demand amid the heightened economic activity in the coming weeks.
“Eskom’s power system remains stable and ready to meet the projected rise in electricity demand amid the heightened economic activity in the coming weeks as industries gradually resume operations. The resilience of the power system reflects the major improvements in Eskom’s generation fleet and the success of its Generation Recovery Plan, driving stronger operations and securing the country’s energy future,” the power utility said in a statement.
Additionally, the utility continues to see gains in the Energy Availability Factor (EAF), with the year-to-date EAF further increasing to 64.55%. Its fleet has achieved or exceeded the 70% EAF mark on 55 occasions.
“These figures underscore both recovery and sustained improvement in EAF performance, reinforcing energy security and grid stability. This performance confirms sustained recovery and reinforces confidence in the stability and security of the national electricity supply,” Eskom said.
It added that the improvements are driven primarily by the reduction in unplanned outages, reflecting the effectiveness of the Generation Recovery Plan and the benefits of disciplined maintenance execution.
Between 02 and 08 January 2026, average unplanned outages decreased to 7 705MW from last year’s level of 13 876MW, representing an improvement of 6 171MW.
Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) further reduced to 16.02%, a significant improvement of 12.80% compared to 28.82% recorded during the same period last year.
During the same timeframe, the average Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF), also referred to as planned maintenance, was at 9.32%, compared with 14.72% in the previous financial year.
The reduced level follows Eskom’s intensive maintenance programme implemented in the last financial year, exceeding historical norms over the past three years, to restore fleet reliability.
“Planned maintenance remains aligned with Eskom’s maintenance schedule and supports ongoing efforts to enhance plant reliability, improve operational stability, and strengthen long term fleet performance,” the utility said.
The ongoing improvement in EAF has reduced Eskom’s reliance on expensive diesel generation, enabling a stronger focus on more cost effective primary energy sources.
“In addition, 7 305MW is currently in cold reserve due to excess capacity and lower demand during the holiday season,” said Eskom, adding that for a third consecutive week, no diesel was used, resulting in zero expenditure over the past three weeks.
The utility’s diesel spending is now R2.959 billion lower than at the same time last year.
Year-to-date, diesel expenditure remains consistently below budget.
It added that the country has had over 200 days of no load shedding.
“South Africa has now experienced 238 consecutive days without an interrupted supply, with only 26 hours of loadshedding recorded in April and May 2025 during this financial year,” it said on Friday.
Meanwhile, the power utility added that although the power system remains stable and generation capacity continues to exceed demand, persistent adverse weather, together with fires in the Coega, Humansdorp, and Sarah Baartman areas in the Eastern Cape, has resulted in an increase in faults across Eskom’s distribution network.
“Eskom teams continue to diligently restore power safely and efficiently in affected areas, while prioritising the safety of both its staff and the public throughout the restoration process,” it said.
In addition, illegal connections and meter tampering continue to damage infrastructure and pose serious safety risks.
“As a temporary measure, Eskom is maintaining load reduction in high risk areas to protect communities and the network.”
Eskom called on communities to report illegal connections, use electricity responsibly, and protect infrastructure. Any illegal activity affecting Eskom’s infrastructure can be reported to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323. -SAnews.gov.za
