“This reflects sustained structural improvements in plant performance driven by the ongoing implementation of the Generation Recovery Plan,” the statement read.
In addition, the state-owned power utility said the open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs), or diesel generators, maintained a load factor of just 0.001% for the second consecutive week.
“The sustained technical improvements have ensured a reliable power system, meeting more than 97% of electricity demand since the beginning of the financial year.”
South Africa has experienced no load shedding since 15 May 2025, with only 26 hours recorded between 1 April and 11 September 2025.
Between 5 and 11 September 2025, planned maintenance increased as Eskom entered the summer period, averaging 4,624MW.
During this period, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) fluctuated consistently between 69% and 73%, with the month-to-date average further remaining above the 70% mark.
“This upward trend reflects growing stability and improved reliability across the generation fleet. These figures exclude Kusile Unit 6, which has been contributing 720MW to the national grid since 23 March 2025.
“Although not yet in commercial operation, the unit is expected to reach that milestone by September 2025.”
To further strengthen grid stability, Eskom has planned to return a total of 2,835MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 15 September 2025, and throughout the coming week.
Between 1 April and 11 September 2025, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF), which reflects the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages, further decreased to 26.53%.
The utility said this represents a week-on-week improvement of approximately 0.4%, although it remains about 1.2% higher than the 25.38% recorded during the same period last year.
From 1 April to 11 September 2025, the diesel spend remains well under the allocated budget.
“As of today, 119 consecutive days without load shedding have been achieved,” said the utility.
Meanwhile, Eskom recently published its summer outlook, covering the period from 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2026, which forecasts no load shedding due to the structural progress in plant performance resulting from the ongoing implementation of the Generation Recovery Plan.
The available generation capacity stood at 28,776MW, with Eskom stating that the current capacity is sufficient to meet requirements over the weekend.
From 1 April to 11 September 2025, Eskom spent approximately R5.9283bn on fuel for its OCGT plants, generating 1,000.91 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity.
“While there was no notable increase in expenditure over the past week, the electricity generated represents a significant rise compared to the 578.14GWh produced during the same period last year.
“It is important to note that diesel expenditure is not consistent throughout the year but fluctuates seasonally in response to system demand and operational requirements.”
During the previous winter peak periods in the mornings and evenings, load reduction eased slightly – from an average of 544MW in April 2025 to 529MW in June 2025 – with Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng accounting for approximately 87% of the total.
“Eskom appreciates the progress achieved in reducing load nationally, with a 3% improvement recorded between April and June 2025.
“The largest gains were seen in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, with reductions of 13% and 5% respectively. Looking ahead, Eskom is committed to further reducing load reduction by 15–20% by March 2026 and eliminating it within two years.”
Eskom said this will be achieved by addressing 640,000 illegal connections by March 2026, upgrading infrastructure, including the rollout of smart meters, reducing zero buyers and illegal vending, and expanding free basic electricity registrations in priority areas.
The primary causes of load reduction remain illegal connections and meter bypassing.
These practices constitute electricity theft and place a severe strain on the network, leading to transformer overloads, equipment damage, and, in extreme cases, explosions and prolonged outages.
“Electricity should only be purchased through Eskom-accredited vendors, and customers are encouraged to regularise their electricity usage. These actions are critical to securing safe, reliable, and fair access to electricity for all.”
Any illegal activity impacting Eskom’s infrastructure should be reported to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp on 081 333 3323.
SAnews.gov.za is a South African government news service, published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). SAnews.gov.za (formerly BuaNews) was established to provide quick and easy access to articles and feature stories aimed at keeping the public informed about the implementation of government mandates.
Go to: http://www.sanews.gov.za
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