Eskom
Eskom has reported sustained improvements in power supply, with unplanned losses from breakdowns remaining below the 10 000 megawatt threshold at 7 394MW, reflecting ongoing progress under the Generation Recovery Plan.
In a statement released on Friday, 12 September 2025, the state-owned utility highlighted its reliable performance, noting that open-cycle gas turbines maintained a minimal load factor of 0.001% for the second straight week. This has ensured over 97% of electricity demand is met since the financial year began, with no load shedding since 15 May 2025—a streak now at 122 days as of 14 September 2025. The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) for the week of 5 to 11 September hovered between 69% and 73%, with a month-to-date average above 70%, excluding contributions from Kusile Unit 6.
Generation Recovery Plan Drives Structural Gains
Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan, launched in 2023, continues to yield results, with unplanned outages dropping significantly. The Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF) from 1 April to 11 September 2025 decreased to 26.53%, a 0.4% improvement week-on-week, though slightly higher than last year’s 25.38%. This reflects better maintenance and reduced breakdowns across the fleet, allowing the utility to meet demand reliably.
Planned maintenance ramped up to an average of 4 624MW during the same week as Eskom transitions into summer, ensuring long-term stability. To bolster supply ahead of Monday’s evening peak on 15 September 2025, Eskom plans to return 2 835MW of capacity online, part of weekly efforts to keep the system robust. Kusile Unit 6, syncing 720MW since 23 March 2025, is set for commercial operation by month’s end, adding further resilience.
These improvements have kept diesel spend under budget at R5.9283 billion for the period, generating 1 000.91 gigawatt-hours—nearly double last year’s output. Eskom attributes this to strategic use of open-cycle gas turbines only when necessary, noting seasonal fluctuations in expenditure.
Summer Outlook Forecasts No Load Shedding
Eskom’s Summer Outlook for 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2026, published recently, projects no load shedding, building on a strong winter where only 26 hours occurred from 1 April to 11 September. This contrasts sharply with last summer’s 13 days of outages, thanks to added capacity and better plant performance. The utility forecasts peak demand at 33 000MW, well within the 35 000MW available, assuming no major setbacks.
Experts like energy analyst Chris Yelland praise the turnaround, crediting CEO Dan Marokane’s leadership since December 2023. “The Generation Recovery Plan has delivered 4 000MW in gains this winter, setting a solid base for summer,” Yelland noted in a recent briefing. However, he warns of risks like unexpected breakdowns or delayed maintenance, urging continued vigilance.
Load Reduction Persists in High-Demand Areas
While load shedding is absent, Eskom implements load reduction in overloaded municipalities to prevent infrastructure damage. From April to June 2025, it averaged 529MW, down 3% from 544MW, with Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng accounting for 87%. Eskom achieved a 13% cut in Limpopo and 5% in Mpumalanga, aiming for 15-20% further reduction by March 2026 and elimination within two years.
Primary causes include 640 000 illegal connections, meter bypassing, and non-payment, straining transformers. Eskom plans to address these by upgrading infrastructure, rolling out smart meters, and tackling zero-buyers. In Gauteng, a load reduction schedule from 8 to 14 September 2025 imposed 5-6 hour cuts in areas like Soweto and Alexandra to manage peak loads safely.
“Electricity should only be purchased through Eskom-accredited vendors,” the utility urged, encouraging reports of theft via the Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or WhatsApp 081 333 3323.
Broader Context: Economic and Social Impacts
Eskom’s stability has boosted investor confidence, with the rand strengthening 5% since May 2025 and manufacturing output up 2.3% in Q2. Businesses, battered by past outages costing R1 trillion since 2007, welcome the reprieve, but experts like Nedbank’s Nicky Weimar note vigilance is key amid ageing plants.
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