Eskom has announced the suspension of loadshedding as of 5:00 on February 26, citing improvements in generation capacity and the replenishment of emergency reserves.

According to Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane, structural improvements within the power utility’s generation fleet have contributed to this positive development.

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

Despite the improved outlook, Marokane acknowledged that valuable lessons could be learned from recent multiple unit trips, which he attributed to technical issues within auxiliary parts of Eskom’s power stations.

Eskom’s Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, highlighted the impact of intensified maintenance efforts, which have significantly reduced reliance on costly emergency measures.

“We remain committed to high levels of maintenance, and the results are clear. Our efforts have delivered a 99% electricity availability rate over Eskom’s current financial year, from April 1 2024 to February 21 2025, saving approximately R17b in diesel costs,” Nxumalo stated.

He further noted that Eskom’s planned maintenance currently stands at 6 660MW as part of its summer period maintenance strategy.

These efforts, he said, are crucial for ensuring grid stability ahead of the winter season.

Operational improvements and turnaround strategy

Eskom’s latest operational update follows its interim results announcement on January 30 2025, which reflected significant progress in its turnaround strategy.

The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) for the first six months of the 2025 financial year rose to 62.96%, compared to 55.27% during the same period in the previous year.

This improvement was largely due to a reduction of approximately 4 000MW in unplanned breakdowns and losses, which dropped from 34.24% to 25.60%.

On multiple occasions, the EAF exceeded 70%, while unplanned losses fell below 20%.

While Eskom maintains that its summer outlook remains unchanged, the power utility has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing a return to the severe loadshedding levels experienced in 2023.