Eskom hits new load shedding-free milestone

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Eskom has now reached more than 250 days without implementing load shedding – resulting in year-on-year diesel cost savings of nearly R17 billion.

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“The investment in the Generation Recovery Plan continues to yield consistent results, with load shedding suspended for 254 consecutive days since 26 March 2024.

“This achievement reflects the ongoing success of comprehensive structural improvements within the coal-fired fleet, reinforcing Eskom’s commitment to providing a reliable energy supply, enabling economic growth, and promoting long-term sustainability,” Eskom said.

Load shedding-free summer loading

The power utility said as industry begins to shutdown for the December holidays, it will be gradually increasing its maintenance activities to “further improve the reliability of its generation fleet”.

“Over the past week, the average total unplanned outages have been at 11 038MW, a significant improvement from the 14 475MW recorded during the same period last year, representing a reduction of 3 437MW. [Friday’s] unplanned outages [were] at 11 834MW, which is 1 166MW lower than the summer 2024 base case, indicating consistently improved operational efficiency week after week.

“Eskom’s EAF [Energy Availability Factor] was at an average of 59.4% over the past week and 62.8% year-to-date, with top-performing stations – including Majuba, Medupi, and peaking stations – achieving an average EAF of 70% and above. Four other power stations recorded EAFs above 60%,” Eskom said.

Furthermore, the power utility said it expects an additional 2 600MW to return online by Monday (tomorrow) evening.

“In August, Eskom shared its Summer Outlook for the period from 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2025, predicting a likely scenario of a load shedding-free summer due to structural generation improvements. This outlook remains unchanged,” Eskom said.