South Africa will see a more stable winter electricity supply this year, with Eskom saying progress has also been made in easing load reduction in several areas.
In an outlook briefing for the April to August 31 period, the electricity utility said it is entering the season with a “resilient power system” and improved performance across its generation fleet.
No load-shedding is expected under normal conditions.
The utility said the system is now more reliable due to better plant performance, fewer breakdowns, and stronger maintenance.
Eskom chair representative Clive Le Roux said the country has seen “material and measurable improvements. South Africa has experienced over 340 consecutive days without load-shedding,” he said.
He added that diesel use has dropped sharply, cutting emergency power costs by more than 60% year on year.
Eskom, and in turn South Africa, now has a stable electricity platform to operate and grow from. This enables us to integrate renewable energy sources as per the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan for the maintenance of energy security in the futur
— Dan Marokane, Eskom group CEO
Eskom said its ability to generate electricity has improved significantly over the past two years. Energy availability has risen from about 55% in 2023 to just over 65% in the 2026 financial year.
Unplanned breakdowns have also dropped by around seven gigawatts, while planned maintenance has increased to improve long-term reliability.
“This talks to a steady decrease in terms of the megawatts we have brought back into the fleet,” said group executive for generation Bheki Nxumalo.
He said the utility is now in a position where it is “seeing the benefit” of improved power stations such as Kusile and Medupi returning units to service.
Eskom said it is no longer in emergency recovery mode but is now focused on long-term stability.
Group CEO Dan Marokane said the country now has a “stable electricity platform”.
“Eskom, and in turn South Africa, now has a stable electricity platform to operate and grow from. This enables us to integrate renewable energy sources as per the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for the maintenance of energy security in the future,” he said.
He added that this stability allows the country to plan for renewable energy and future supply needs more confidently.
While load-shedding has eased, Eskom said load reduction, where electricity is cut in specific communities due to network pressure or illegal connections remains a problem in some areas.
Acting distribution head Agnes Mlambo said progress has been made. “We managed to remove about 300,000 customers that were affected by load reduction,” she said.
The Western Cape and Northern Cape are now fully removed from load reduction schedules, she added. The utility expects most provinces to be free of load reduction by later this year, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal taking longer due to higher pressure on infrastructure.
We are at a stage where electricity is guaranteed, electricity is available. But what we know is that the electricity is not affordable
— Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, minister of electricity and energy
“To build on the current momentum of our phased national programme, we are working in close collaboration with the department of electricity and energy and relevant stakeholders to accelerate the elimination of load reduction. This programme has already yielded results, with the Northern Cape and Western Cape now fully removed from load reduction schedules,”” Eskom said.
“Nationally more than 340,000 customers who previously faced load reduction are no longer experiencing it, ensuring continuous supply during the winter period. A key part of the programme is the installation of more than 600,000 smart meters, which improve network visibility, support better load management and help stabilise local electricity networks.
“In addition, 2,119 customers have been connected through distributed energy resources to strengthen electricity supply in areas where network limitations previously contributed to load reduction.
“By September Eskom expects that about 60% of feeders currently affected by load reduction, 573 out of 971, will be removed from load reduction, with the remaining feeders addressed progressively by [March] 2027.”
Eskom said it is also working with the government to fix illegal connections, install more smart meters and improve billing so that overloaded areas can be stabilised.
Despite the improvements, Eskom warned that electricity remains expensive for many households. The government has said it will work on keeping price increases in single digits and improving support for poorer households through free basic electricity.
Minister of electricity and energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said electricity is now available, but affordability remains a key issue. “We are at a stage where electricity is guaranteed, electricity is available. But what we know is that the electricity is not affordable,” he said.
Future reforms will focus on pricing, fairness, and long-term sustainability of the system, he added
Eskom said it is preparing for a more competitive electricity market and continued investment in new power sources such as renewables, gas, and nuclear.
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