Loadshedding remains suspended due to a stable power system; ongoing high levels of planned maintenance continue until early April, and unplanned outages have dropped by 6.6% year-on-year

Friday, 21 March 2025: Eskom confirms that loadshedding remains suspended. The power system remains constrained but stable and supported by the strategic utilisation of emergency reserves to meet demand, especially during peak periods, and where necessary.

The Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF), or unplanned outages, for the financial year-to-date, stands at 25.77%, improving from 32.39% in the same period last year. This reflects a ~6.6% reduction and signifies increased fleet reliability.

As of today, unplanned outages slightly increased to 13 733MW compared to the previous week, while available generation capacity is 27 106MW, sufficient to meet tonight’s forecasted peak demand of 25 652MW.

Eskom continues to maintain high levels of planned maintenance as part of its efforts to improve fleet reliability in preparation for the high winter demand, while also meeting environmental license conditions and regulatory requirements. This may necessitate the strategic use of emergency reserves, particularly during morning and evening peak periods. Currently, planned maintenance stands at 6 793MW.

Year-to-date (1 April 2024 to 21 March 2025), electricity supply was available ~96% of the time, compared to just ~ 9% last year and loadshedding was suspended for 342 days, compared to 32 days in the same period last year.

Year-to-date diesel savings have reached R16.89 billion. This reflects actual spending which is 51.8% less than the R32.61 billion spent during the same period last year.

Eskom’s Summer Outlook from 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2025, published on August 26, 2024, remains unchanged.

Eskom is on course to return an additional 2 120MW to service over this long weekend, as previously communicated, to further stabilise the grid.

Key Performance Highlights:

  • From March 14 to 20 March 2025, average unplanned outages reduced to 12 878MW, showing an improvement of 1 619MW compared to the same period last year. Year-to-date average unplanned outages stand at 12 344MW, 656MW lower than the summer base case of 13 000MW.
  • The year-to-date Planned Capacity Loss Factor is 12.64%, approximately 0.6% higher than the 12.00% recorded during the same period last year, indicating an increase in planned maintenance activities.
  • The weekly Energy Availability Factor (EAF) increased from 57.0% at the start of the financial year to 58.34% from 17 to 20 March 2025. The year-to-date EAF stands at 60.98%, an improvement of approximately 6.5% compared to the same period last year (54.53%), indicating higher availability of generation capacity.
  • Year-to-date Eskom spent approximately R15.72 billion on fuel for the OCGT fleet, which is below budget, generating 2 645.43GWh. This is significantly lower than the 5 047.93GWh generated during the same period last year.
  • The OCGT load factor from 14 to 21 March 2025 was higher at 23.62% compared to last year’s figure of 19.37%. However, OCGT load factor year-to-date stabilised at 9.12%, compared to last year’s figure of 17.35%.

‘Save Your Transformers, Save Lives’ campaign

While loadshedding is currently suspended, Eskom appeals to the public to avoid illegal connections, to buy electricity only from Eskom-accredited vendors and help protect the power network by reporting any illegal activities to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.

We will provide an update on Friday, 28 March 2025, or promptly communicate any significant changes as soon as they occur.

ENDS

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