Eskom on Loadshedding
By Thabo Moloi
Eskom has declared on Friday that loadshedding will remain suspended until further notice. This announcement comes as a result of incremental improvements in the reliability of its generation fleet. Notably, this suspension has now persisted for 72 consecutive days, marking a much-needed reprieve for South Africans.
Historical Context
The last time South Africa enjoyed such an extended period without loadshedding was from 5 December 2021 to 2 February 2022. Eskom’s ongoing efforts appear to be paying off, ensuring that the nation remains free from the dreaded power cuts.
Strategic Operational Moves
Eskom’s strategic operations, particularly the Generation Operational Recovery Plan, are central to this success. This plan aimed to bolster the reliability of the generation fleet for the winter of 2024 by intensifying planned maintenance during the summer months of 2023/24. The power utility has managed to maintain an average of 8 000MW under planned maintenance, peaking at 18% of the generation capacity from December 2023 to January 2024.
These efforts have manifested in tangible results:
- Reduction in Unplanned Outages: The Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) has decreased to 28.0% from 35.7% year-on-year, representing an 8% improvement.
- Sustained Energy Availability: The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has risen to 61.1%, a noteworthy increase from last year’s 53.2%. Weekly EAF figures have also improved from 57.0% to 63.8% in the current financial year.
- Optimized Use of Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCTs): Spending on OCTs has significantly decreased, with R1.71 billion spent to produce 246.91GWh between April and June 2024. This is a 77% reduction compared to the same period last year.
Forecast and Performance
Eskom’s winter forecast, published on 26 April 2024, predicted potential unplanned outages of 15 500MW and limited loadshedding to Stage 2. However, the actual unplanned outages have averaged 11 300MW, about 3 000MW less than anticipated.
Ongoing Maintenance
Eskom has announced that it plans to return 3 020MW of generating capacity to service by Monday, 10 June 2024. This is a critical maneuver aimed at bolstering the grid’s robustness as winter demand spikes.
Network Overloading and Electricity Theft
The power utility has raised alarms about network overloading and electricity theft, issues that have exacerbated with the onset of winter. Eskom has urged consumers to reduce their electricity consumption, ensure legal connections, and report any illegal activities to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722.
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