Eskom has recorded some 280 days without the implementation of load shedding, continuing the power utility’s generation recovery.
At the same time, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) continues to hold steady, rising to some 65.11% for the financial year to date.
“Eskom’s generation performance continues to show steady and measurable improvement, reinforcing the reliability of South Africa’s power system and supporting confidence in the wider economy. Improvements in plant availability, together with reduced unplanned outages, have strengthened the stability of the national grid.
“These gains, enabled by the Generation Recovery Plan, are contributing to long-term energy security and helping sustain uninterrupted supply, an essential foundation for economic activity and growth,” the power utility said.
Last week, average unplanned outages measured at some 9980MW – an improvement of 2784MW from the same period last year.
“Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor [UCLF], reflecting unplanned outages, was at 20.77%, representing a reduction of 4.53% compared to the 25.30% recorded during the same period last year.
“During the same period, Eskom’s Planned Capacity Loss Factor [PCLF] – reflecting planned maintenance – was at an average of 10.49%, down from 15.71% in the previous financial year.
“In addition, 9 897MW is currently in cold reserve due to excess capacity,” Eskom said.
The power utility noted that diesel usage last week saw “2.48GWh of energy being sent into the grid at a cost of R14.89 million, equating to a 0.433% load factor”.
“The use of diesel resulted from the dispatching of the independent power producers [IPP] Open Cycle Gas Turbine [OCGT] units in line with existing take‑or‑pay contractual obligations with the two IPPs.
“These agreements were concluded during a period of severe supply constraints to secure guaranteed minimum average usage levels every six months. Under these contracts, Eskom is required to pay for the committed capacity whether it is utilised or not. Accordingly, diesel usage over the next few weeks, may primarily reflect the fulfilment of these contractual obligations.
“As system performance continues to improve and the EAF strengthens, Eskom’s operational focus remains on utilising the most cost-effective primary energy sources, while responsibly managing legacy contractual commitments and maintaining grid stability,” Eskom explained.
Despite this, year to date expenditure on diesel remains low – coming in below budget.
“Year-to-date (1 April 2025 until 19 February 2026), total diesel expenditure is now R5.49 billion lower than at the same time last year, reflecting substantial cost savings and continued improvements in operational performance driven by Eskom’s turnaround initiatives,” the power utility said. – SAnews.gov.za
