Power system remains stable: unplanned outages down 729MW, EAF rising, diesel use declining and below comparable period for the first time this financial year

Power system remains stable: unplanned outages down 729MW, EAF rising, diesel use declining and below comparable period for the first time this financial year

Friday, 05 December 2025: South Africa’s power system is stable and resilient, consistently meeting demand. This achievement reflects major improvements in Eskom’s generation fleet and the success of its Generation Recovery Plan, driving stronger operations and securing the country’s energy future.

The Energy Availability Factor (EAF)—which measures the percentage of time the generation fleet is available to produce electricity—was at 68.29% for the month of November 2025, a notable increase of 6.39% from 61.9% in the same period last year. Year-to-date, EAF further increased to 63.7%, with the fleet achieving or exceeding the 70% mark on 39 occasions. These figures underscore both recovery and sustained improvement in EAF performance, reinforcing energy security and grid stability.

The continued improvement in EAF has significantly reduced Eskom’s reliance on costly diesel generation, allowing the company to focus more on cost-effective primary energy sources. Additionally,  5 474MW is currently on cold reserve due to excess capacity.

Over the last week, diesel expenditure was only R8.24 million due to environmental correlation tests on three Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) units to meet statutory compliance requirement. The continued significant minimal usage of diesel highlights both the financial savings and operational improvements achieved through Eskom’s turnaround.

Year-to-date, diesel expenditure remains consistently below budget.

For the period 28 November to 4 December 2025, the average Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF)—which measures the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages—is at 22.56%, a reduction of 1.05% from 23.61% during the same period last year.

The average Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF) for 28 November to 4 December 2025 increased to 11.62%, lower than the 16.95% recorded last year. This planned maintenance aligns with Eskom’s maintenance schedule and ongoing efforts to enhance plant reliability and operational consistency.

Between 28 November to 4 December 2025, Eskom recorded an average of 10 785MW in unplanned outages, an improvement from 11 514MW during the same period last year. This year-on-year reduction of 729MW in breakdowns highlights the continued growing reliability and resilience of the generation fleet.

South Africa has now experienced 203 consecutive days without an interrupted supply, with only 26 hours of loadshedding recorded in April and May during this financial year.

To maintain a stable electricity supply, Eskom will bring 3 600MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 8 December 2025. Today’s evening peak demand is forecast at 22 637MW, supported by 27 500MW of available capacity, giving the system a healthy margin above current demand.

Eskom published the Summer Outlook on 5 September 2025, covering the period 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2026, which projects no loadshedding due to sustained improvements in plant performance from the Generation Recovery Plan.

Key Performance Highlights

• Year-to-date, the UCLF further reduced to 24.37%, reflecting a week-on-week improvement of approximately 0.03% and remaining below last year’s 24.96%.

• Planned maintenance was at an average of 5 394MW, accounting for 11.48% of total generation capacity, lower than last week’s 11.50% and lower than the 11.72% over the same period last year.

• Between 1 April and 4 November 2025, Eskom generated 1 042.86GWh from OCGT plants, incurring diesel costs of R6.193 billion, this is lower than the 1 103.83GWh produced during the same period last year. This is for the first time in the current financial year that the year-to-date diesel usage is below previous comparable period. Importantly, diesel consumption has been declining steadily month-on-month since May 2025, and the load factor for December month-to-date is currently at 0% – OCGT’s were last run on 28 November.

• The year-to-date OCGT load factor further decreased to 5.13%, a 0.14% improvement from the previous week and is lower than the 5.43% recorded during the same period last year.

Progress Toward Ending Load Reduction

The power system remains stable, with generation capacity exceeding demand. However, adverse weather conditions continue to impact distribution networks primarily in Gauteng, causing access challenges and delaying repairs in certain areas.

Illegal connections and meter tampering persist, damaging infrastructure and posing safety risks. Load reduction remains a temporary measure in high-risk areas to protect communities and the network.

Eskom has launched a phased programme to end load reduction by 2027, targeting 971 feeders and benefiting 1.69 million customers out of its 7.2 million customer base across all provinces. Key initiatives include smart meters, Distributed Energy Resources, and expanded Free Basic Electricity

Progress on key interventions

• Smart Meter Rollout:
  Eskom has installed 58,540 smart meters on feeders affected by load reduction. The goal is to install 577,347 meters by March 2026, with full completion expected in 2027. Current progress stands at 10.1% of the target.
• Feeders Removed from Load Reduction:
  In Limpopo, two feeders have been removed from the load reduction schedule, out of a provincial target of 24 feeders by March 2026 and a national target of 271 feeders. This marks 8.3% completion for Limpopo and 0.7% nationally.
• Customers Benefiting:
  The removal of these feeders has benefited approximately 971 customers. This progress reduces the number of customers in Limpopo still targeted for removal from load reduction to 126,486 by year-end, while nationally, 576,376 customers remain targeted for removal by the end of the financial year (March 2026).
• Free Basic Electricity (FBE):
  Nationally, registrations have grown from 485,000 to 584,848 customers — an increase of 20.6%, representing 27.9% of the 2.1 million customers eligible.

Eskom is harnessing technology, upgrading infrastructure, and partnering with communities to ensure a safer, smarter, and more reliable power network for South Africa.

Eskom calls on communities to report illegal connections, use electricity responsibly, and protect infrastructure. Any illegal activity affecting Eskom’s infrastructure can be reported to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.

Eskom will provide its next update on Friday, 12 December 2025, or communicate any significant developments as they occur.

ENDS