SA Marks 231 Days of Stable Power as Eskom Accelerates Grid Modernisation

Eskom’s 2025/26 Summer Outlook, released in September, projects no load shedding for the period ending March 2026.

South Africa has recorded 231 consecutive days without an interrupted power supply, signalling a sustained stabilisation of Eskom’s generation system and one of the most significant operational turnarounds in recent years. Only 26 hours of load shedding have occurred during April and May of the current financial year.

Eskom says continued reliability is the result of measurable gains in generation performance, disciplined maintenance, and structural improvements under the Generation Recovery Plan, all achieved despite heavy December 2025 rainfall.

Generation Recovery: Strong Metrics and Reduced Outages

Key performance indicators show substantial year-on-year improvements:

• Energy Availability Factor (EAF):• December 2025: 69.14%• December 2024: 56.57%• Year-to-date: 64.35%, with the fleet hitting/exceeding 70% on 49 days

• Unplanned outages (26 Dec–1 Jan):• Declined to 6 822MW, less than half of last year’s 12 328MW

• Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF):• Down to 14.06% from 26.12% a year earlier

These improvements reduced reliance on expensive diesel generation and enabled a shift toward more cost-effective primary energy sources. To maintain stability, 5 585MW of generation capacity was scheduled ahead of the evening peak of 5 January 2026.

Eskom’s 2025/26 Summer Outlook, released in September, projects no load shedding for the period ending March 2026.

Distribution Challenges: Weather Damage and Illegal Connections

Despite strong generation performance, Eskom reported a 40% spike in distribution faults during the festive period, largely caused by severe weather. While most areas have been restored, infrastructure damage persists in some communities.

Illegal connections and meter tampering continue to endanger residents and overload network equipment. As an interim measure, load reduction remains active in high-risk zones to protect infrastructure and public safety.

To end this practice sustainably, Eskom has launched a phased elimination programme, targeting 971 feeders and benefiting 1.69 million customers through smart technologies and network upgrades.

Progress on Key Modernisation Interventions

Smart Meter Rollout

• 73 523 smart meters installed to date

• 90%+ installations across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KZN

• Target: 577 347 meters by March 2026

• Current progress: 12.73%, with full programme completion due in 2027

Feeder Removal from Load Reduction

• 70 feeders removed nationally (26% of March 2026 target)

• Provincial progress includes:• Limpopo/Mpumalanga – 35% of target• Gauteng – 29% of target• Eastern/Western Cape – 47% of target• KZN/Free State – 14% of target

Customer Impact

• 95 989 customers already benefiting from feeder removal

• 481 358 customers still to be cleared by March 2026 (83.37% of target)

Free Basic Electricity (FBE) Expansion

• 579 360 customers registered, up 19.5% from the 485 000 baseline

• Represents 27.6% of South Africa’s 2.1 million eligible households

A Smarter, Safer and More Digital Grid

Eskom says it is “harnessing technology, upgrading infrastructure, and partnering with communities” to build a more resilient and digitally enabled power network.

The utility urged communities to report illegal connections and protect energy infrastructure. Crime reports can be made via the Eskom Crime Line (0800 112 722) or WhatsApp (081 333 3323).

Call-to-Action: Major Opportunities for Energy-Tech Innovators

Eskom’s accelerating modernisation drive opens substantial opportunities for:

• Smart-metering and IoT partners

• Grid-automation and DER integration providers

• Predictive analytics, AI diagnostics, and outage-forecasting platforms

• DR/DSM (Demand Response/Management) innovators

• Renewable-grid harmonisation tools

• Cyber-secure metering and prepayment technologies

• Low-voltage network monitoring solutions

The next phase of Eskom’s recovery will rely heavily on cutting-edge energy technology, making this a pivotal moment for startups, research institutions, and energy-tech developers to collaborate and help shape a stable, smart and modern South African grid.