Eskom Suspends Load Shedding Following Generation Recovery and Reserve Replenishment

Wednesday, 26 February 2025 – South Africa will see a temporary reprieve from rolling blackouts as Eskom suspends load shedding at 5:00 AM following a recovery in generation capacity and the replenishment of emergency reserves.

Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane reaffirmed that structural improvements in the generation fleet have contributed to a more stable power system. However, he stressed that the utility remains focused on eliminating load shedding as a long-term constraint on economic growth.

“We maintain our guidance that load shedding is largely behind us due to structural improvements in the generation fleet. Our focus remains on eliminating load shedding as a structural constraint on the economy,” Marokane stated.

Lessons from Recent Unit Failures

Marokane acknowledged that recent multiple unit failures, though unconnected, highlighted technical vulnerabilities in Eskom’s electrical and control systems.

“There will be valuable lessons to be learned from the set of multiple unit trips that were unconnected and purely technical in nature,” he noted.

Despite these setbacks, Eskom’s commitment to high maintenance standards is delivering results.

Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom Group Executive for Generation, reported that 99% electricity availability has been achieved in the current financial year, with the utility saving approximately R17 billion in diesel costs.

“Ongoing planned maintenance stands at 6,660MW, in line with our summer strategy to prepare for winter and regulatory requirements. We reaffirm our commitment to preventing a return to the severe load shedding levels of 2023,” said Nxumalo.

Summer Outlook and Turnaround Progress

Eskom confirmed that its Summer Outlook, published in August 2024, remains unchanged, reinforcing expectations for a relatively stable power supply in the months ahead.

The utility also highlighted significant strides in its turnaround strategy, with interim results for the first six months of the 2025 financial year (April – September 2024) showing notable operational improvements.

• Energy Availability Factor (EAF) increased to 62.96%, up from 55.27% in the same period last year.
• Unplanned breakdowns and losses (UCLF) dropped from 34.24% to 25.60%, with a reduction of approximately 4,000MW in unplanned outages.
• The EAF exceeded 70% on several occasions, while UCLF dropped below 20% at times.

Commitment to Stability

Eskom reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining a reliable power supply for all South Africans while continuing its efforts to drive long-term energy security.