Eskom says South Africa’s power system remains stable, with consistent improvements in generation performance driven by the ongoing implementation of its Generation Recovery Plan.
According to the utility, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) for October to date stands at 70.45 percent, signalling stronger plant reliability and fewer unplanned outages. This progress, Eskom noted, is crucial for grid stability and the country’s economic growth.
Improved efficiency and reduced diesel use
Eskom reported that electricity demand has been met more than 97 percent of the time so far in the current financial year. From April to early October, diesel spending remained below budget, reflecting a reduced dependence on the Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) fleet. The OCGT load factor has dropped to 6.63 percent, highlighting greater efficiency and a shift towards more cost-effective generation methods.
Kusile milestone marks end of New Build Programme
On 29 September 2025, Unit 6 at Kusile Power Station officially entered commercial operation, marking the completion of Eskom’s New Build Programme.
The project concludes the construction of Medupi and Kusile, South Africa’s two supercritical coal fired power stations, which together can deliver up to 9 600 megawatts of baseload capacity.
This additional generation capacity is expected to enhance the stability of the national grid and will be included in Eskom’s performance metrics going forward.
Decline in breakdowns and improved reliability
Eskom recorded an average of 9 534 megawatts in unplanned outages between 26 September and 2 October 2025, showing an improvement from the 11 505 megawatts recorded during the same period last year.
The 1 971 megawatt reduction is almost equivalent to the entire output of Koeberg Power Station, underscoring improved reliability across the generation fleet.
The country has now gone 140 consecutive days without load shedding, with only 26 hours of power interruptions reported since April.
Eskom plans to bring an additional 4 200 megawatts of capacity online ahead of the evening peak on 6 October and throughout the week to further reinforce grid stability.
The utility’s Summer Outlook, released in early September, forecasts no load shedding for the period between September 2025 and March 2026, supported by continued progress in the Generation Recovery Plan.
Addressing illegal connections and load reduction
Despite overall stability, Eskom continues to face challenges caused by electricity theft, illegal connections, and meter tampering, which can lead to transformer damage and localised outages.
The utility has urged consumers to avoid illegal connections, purchase electricity only from authorised vendors, and regularise their accounts.
Load reduction measures remain in place in high risk areas to protect infrastructure and ensure public safety, particularly during peak demand hours. Between April and June 2025, average load reductions ranged between 529 and 544 megawatts.
Eskom aims to eliminate load reduction entirely within the next 12 to 18 months. To achieve this, the utility plans to address about 640 000 illegal connections, install smart meters, curb illegal electricity vending, upgrade infrastructure, and expand access to free basic electricity in targeted communities.
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