South Africa Celebrates 300 Days Without Load Shedding: A Milestone for Eskom
Johannesburg – In a significant development for the nation’s power supply, Eskom has announced that South Africa has successfully gone 300 consecutive days without load shedding. This achievement was confirmed at midnight on March 12 and is attributed to the enhancements made under Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan.
Improvement in Generation Performance
Eskom reported that the improvements in generation performance have been maintained thanks to a consistent Energy Availability Factor (EAF) above 65%. The current EAF stands at 65.85% for the financial year ending March 12, 2026, with the generation fleet exceeding the 70% EAF mark on 83 occasions during the same timeframe. These enhancements are also reflected in a drastic reduction in unexpected plant breakdowns.
Reduced Outages and Increased Reliability
According to Eskom, there was a 53% decrease in average unplanned outages, which averaged 7,224 MW between March 6 and March 12, compared to 15,382 MW during the same week the previous year. This stability indicates a promising trend in the reliability of South Africa’s electricity supply.
Key Achievements
Eskom has emphasized that the country has experienced 301 consecutive days without any electricity supply interruptions. Only 26 hours of load shedding were recorded across April and May 2025, underlying the utility’s efforts to ensure a steady power supply.
Cost Savings and Diesel Dependency
One of the highlighted benefits of improved performance is the significant cost savings from reduced reliance on diesel-powered open-cycle gas turbines. The financial year to date reveals that diesel expenditure is R8.58 billion lower than the previous year, achieving a remarkable 57.35% reduction.
From April 2025 to March 12, 2026, Eskom generated 1,075.23 GWh from diesel turbines at a cost of R6.381 billion, compared to 2,498.75 GWh costing R14.963 billion the prior year.
Addressing Safety Risks and Illegal Connections
Despite the positive outlook, Eskom has warned that illegal connections and meter tampering continue to threaten both infrastructure and electricity supply. These issues have resulted in significant infrastructure damage and pose serious safety risks to consumers. Eskom has launched a program aimed at phasing out load reduction by 2027, targeting around 971 feeders and approximately 1.69 million customers nationwide.
Implementation of Smart Meters
As part of the initiative, smart meters are being rolled out to enhance monitoring and reliability. Currently, 444,062 smart meters have been installed across the country, with 171,507 deployed in areas affected by load reduction. Nevertheless, the rollout faces challenges such as intimidation and violent incidents, leading to installation delays.
Moving Forward: Stability and Additional Capacity
Eskom remains optimistic about the future stability of the power system. The utility anticipates bringing an additional 3,330 MW of generation capacity online before the evening peak on March 16, with projected evening demand at 23,858 MW against a total available capacity of 27,652 MW. This surplus provides a healthy reserve margin above current demand levels.
Conclusion
Eskom’s achievement of 300 consecutive days without load shedding marks a crucial step toward stabilizing South Africa’s power grid. While the utility celebrates this milestone, ongoing efforts to combat illegal connections and further improve infrastructure reliability are essential for sustaining this progress.
For more updates on Eskom and South Africa’s power supply, visit African Insider.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest news and insights.
