In the News:
- Eskom kept South Africa’s grid running for 231 days without major outages.
- Load shedding fell to 26 hours in April and May 2025.
- Improved maintenance cut diesel use and boosted power availability.
South Africa’s state-owned power utility, Eskom, says it has kept the national grid running without sustained interruptions for 231 consecutive days, signaling a period of improved stability in a power system long defined by frequent outages.
The development shows improved operations at the utility, which has long struggled with ageing infrastructure, maintenance backlogs, and repeated failures causing widespread load shedding.
In a statement issued on Friday, Eskom said the improvement followed sustained maintenance work carried out across its power stations.
The interventions, it said, helped reduce unplanned breakdowns and stabilise generation output.
“South Africa has now experienced 231 consecutive days without an interrupted supply, with only 26 hours of loadshedding recorded in April and May during this financial year”‘ the utility added.
As a result, the utility recorded just 26 hours of load shedding during April and May, months that in previous years were typically marked by regular power cuts.
How recovery plan supports stability
According to Eskom, the power system has improved to a point where electricity demand is being met consistently under normal operating conditions.
Eskom noted that the outcome is closely linked to the execution of its Generation Recovery Plan.
The plan focuses on planned maintenance, improved plant reliability, and tighter operational control across its fleet.
“Eskom’s power system remains stable and continues to meet electricity demand, supported by sustained and measurable improvements in generation performance,” it said in a statement on Friday. “The Generation Recovery Plan is delivering clear results.”
The update comes against the backdrop of the significant economic costs previously imposed by load shedding.
South Africa’s power crisis resulted in an estimated R481 billion ($27.9 billion) loss in economic output in 2024, according to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
This represented an 83% decline from the R2.8 trillion ($162.4 billion) in losses recorded in 2023. In 2024, energy not supplied as a result of load shedding fell to 0.4 terawatt-hours, down from 13.2 terawatt-hours in 2023.
For several years, the instability of electricity supply weighed heavily on the economy.
Power cuts disrupted mining operations, constrained manufacturing output, and affected retail activity.
Eskom reduces diesel dependence
At the same time, Eskom reported progress on measures aimed at reducing its reliance on costly emergency generation.
It recorded a significant improvement in its Energy Availability Factor (EAF), a key indicator of how much of its installed capacity is available to produce electricity.
The EAF rose to 69.1% in December 2025, compared with 56.6% in the same month a year earlier.
The improvement reflected better maintenance execution and fewer unexpected equipment failures across its generation fleet.
The higher availability of power stations has also reduced the need to rely on diesel-powered open-cycle gas turbines, which are typically used during supply shortfalls and carry high operating costs.
Lower diesel usage, the company said, has helped contain operating expenses while allowing for greater use of primary energy sources.
The bottom line
Beyond Eskom’s operations, developments across the power sector continue to reshape the electricity landscape. Increased private sector generation and growing investment in renewable energy are gradually easing pressure on the national grid.
These changes are expected to support supply stability over time, even as Eskom remains central to electricity transmission and system management.
Eskom’s 231-day run without sustained load shedding reflects a measurable improvement in power system performance.
While operational risks remain, the latest data shows a more stable electricity supply than in recent years.
