Eskom: Stable system to meet festive season energy demand

The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) rose to 66.12% month-to-date in December 2025, an improvement of 8.43% from 57.69% recorded over the same period last year

South Africa’s energy system remains stable and well positioned to meet electricity demand over the festive season and holidays, as Eskom generation performance continues to improve, said the utility.

Eskom said the success of its Generation Recovery Plan, supported by intensified planned maintenance implemented last year, has strengthened fleet reliability and enhanced operational resilience.

The improved performance places the system in a strong position to meet peak seasonal demand, support economic activity and reinforce national energy security.

The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) rose to 66.12% month-to-date in December 2025, an improvement of 8.43% from 57.69% recorded over the same period last year. Year-to-date, EAF has increased to 63.85%, with the generation fleet achieving or exceeding the 70% benchmark on 39 occasions.

Eskom reports overall improvement to energy system

Eskom attributed the gains mainly to a sustained reduction in unplanned outages, alongside lower levels of planned maintenance following an intensive maintenance programme carried out in the previous year.

For the period from 12 to 18 December, the average Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) improved to 22.46%, from 25.42% during the same period last year. Over the same week, average unplanned outages declined to 10,701MW, down from 11,965MW a year earlier – a year-on-year reduction of 1,264MW.

“This year-on-year reduction of 1,264MW in breakdowns reflects the impact of the Generation Recovery Plan and the intensive maintenance undertaken in the previous year, which has strengthened the reliability and resilience of the generation fleet,” said Eskom.

Planned maintenance levels also fell, with the average Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF) at 11.84% between 12 and 18 December, compared with 17.49% last year. Eskom said the decline reflects the effectiveness of earlier intensive maintenance in restoring fleet reliability.

No loadshedding, generation capacity

The improved EAF has reduced reliance on diesel-fired generation, with 6,858MW currently on cold reserve due to excess capacity. Diesel expenditure over the past week amounted to R40.8 million, mainly due to commissioning tests following a major outage at Gourikwa Unit 22, with minimal use for system support.

Year-to-date diesel spending remains below budget.

South Africa has now recorded 220 consecutive days without an interrupted electricity supply, with only 26 hours of loadshedding experienced in April and May during the current financial year.

To maintain system stability, Eskom said it would bring 4,670MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 22 December. Evening peak demand is forecast at 22,207MW, supported by 25,902MW of available capacity.

Eskom’s Summer Outlook, published on 5 September and covering the period to 31 March 2026, projects no loadshedding, underpinned by sustained improvements from the Generation Recovery Plan.

Key performance highlights

• Year-to-date, the UCLF further reduced to 24.25%, reflecting a week-on-week improvement of approximately 0.05% and remaining below last year’s 24.99%.
• Year to date, planned maintenance was at an average of 5,385MW, accounting for 11.46% of total generation capacity.
• Between 1 April and 18 December 2025, Eskom generated 1,049.38GWh from OCGT plants, incurring diesel costs of R6.232 billion. This is lower than the 1,299.19GWh produced during the same period last year at a cost of R8.127bn. Notably, diesel consumption has been declining steadily month-on-month since May 2025, and the load factor for December month-to-date is 0.44%.
• The year-to-date OCGT load factor has decreased to 4.89%, reflecting a 0.10% improvement from the previous week. This is lower than the 6.05% recorded during the same period last year and remains below the set target.

 

Reducing load reduction

The utility also reported that there has been progress in ending load reduction – it says that 84,366 customers are no longer affected during peak periods.

Despite the stable system, Eskom warned that illegal connections and meter tampering continue to damage infrastructure and pose serious safety risks. Load reduction remains in place as a temporary measure in high-risk areas to protect the network and communities.

To address the issue sustainably, Eskom has launched a phased programme to eliminate load reduction by 2027.

The initiative targets 971 feeders and aims to benefit approximately 1.69 million customers out of Eskom’s 7.2 million total customer base.

Eskom progress on key energy interventions

Smart meter rollout:

• Eskom has installed and uploaded 68,240 smart meters for feeders affected by load reduction, with more than 90% of installations in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.
• The programme targets 577,347 meters by March 2026, with completion expected in 2027.
• Current progress represents approximately 11.8% of the target.

Feeders removed from load reduction:

• A total of 52 feeders has been removed from load reduction to date. This includes 11 feeders in Limpopo and Mpumalanga (about 30% of the provincial target of 37), approximately 37 feeders in Gauteng (around 29% of the target of 126) and 4 feeders in the Eastern and Western Cape (about 27% of the target of 15).
• Nationally, the 52 feeders represent about 19% of the overall target of 271 feeders to be removed by March 2026.

Customers benefitting:

The removal of these feeders has benefitted approximately 84,366 customers: 27,855 in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, 48,876 in Gauteng, and 7,635 in the Eastern and Western Cape. Nationally, 492,981 customers (85.39% of the target) remain to be cleared by March 2026.

Free Basic Electricity (FBE):

National FBE registrations increased from 485,000 to 579,360 customers, a rise of 19.5%, representing 27.6% of the 2.1 million eligible customers.

Eskom said it will provide its next update on Friday, 26 December.

Cover photo:  sunshineseeds©123rf