Eskom reports stable power grid as SA industries returns to work

Zuko Komisa

Eskom confirms the power system is ready for post-festive industrial demand, backed by 238 consecutive days without load shedding.
Unplanned outages have nearly halved year-on-year, driving the Energy Availability Factor to a year-to-date average of 64.55%.
Improved fleet reliability has eliminated diesel spending for three consecutive weeks, saving the utility nearly R3 billion compared to last year.

Eskom has confirmed that the South African power grid is stable and fully prepared for the anticipated surge in electricity demand as industries reopen following the festive break.

The utility attributed this reliability to its Generation Recovery Plan, noting that the national Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has climbed to a year-to-date average of 64.55%, frequently hitting the 70% mark.

The recovery is driven by a sharp decline in unplanned outages, which have nearly halved compared to the same period last year.

This operational shift has allowed the country to reach 238 consecutive days without power cuts, with the utility reporting that it has not needed to spend any money on emergency diesel generation for three weeks.

Consequently, diesel expenditure is currently R2.95 billion lower than last year’s figures.

Despite the national stability, Eskom warned of localised distribution challenges caused by adverse weather and wildfires in the Eastern Cape.

Furthermore, the utility remains engaged in “load reduction” in specific high-risk areas to protect infrastructure from damage caused by illegal connections and meter tampering.