The power system remains stable and continues to meet demand, Eskom says.
With load shedding hopefully behind us for good, Eskom ended 2025 on a high, with plant performance on the rise as the annual Energy Availability Factor (EAF) climbed above 65% amid a continued reduction in unplanned outages (breakdowns and partial load losses), despite a reduction in planned maintenance in 2025.
Generation recovery
Eskom said its power system remains stable and continues to meet electricity demand, supported by sustained and measurable improvements in generation performance despite the heavy rain experienced in December.
“The Generation Recovery Plan is delivering clear results, and together with the intensive planned maintenance carried out over the past financial year, has strengthened the generation fleet, improved reliability, and enhanced Eskom’s overall operational resilience,” Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said.
ALSO READ: Eskom reports full year profit for the first time since 2017 amid soaring municipal debt
EAF
According to the utility, the EAF was 69.14% in December 2025, representing a significant year-on-year improvement of 12.57% from 56.57% recorded over the same period in 2024.
“Year to date, EAF has increased to 64.35%, with the fleet achieving or exceeding the 70% benchmark on 49 occasions. This performance confirms sustained recovery and reinforces confidence in the stability and security of the national electricity supply.”
“These improvements are driven primarily by the reduction in unplanned outages, reflecting the effectiveness of the Generation Recovery Plan and the benefits of disciplined maintenance execution,” Mokwena said.
Unplanned outages
Mokwena said between 26 December, 2025 and 1 January, 2026, average unplanned outages declined to 6 822MW, less than half of last year’s level of 12 328MW, which was almost double the current figure.
“This represents an improvement of 5 506MW. Today, unplanned outages stand at 6 662MW, a level last recorded in 2019, signalling a sustained and meaningful improvement in generation performance.”
Loss factors
Mokwena said over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) further declined to 14.06%, a significant improvement of 12.06% compared to 26.12% recorded during the same period last year.
“During the same timeframe, the average Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF) stood at 9.41%, compared with 19.08% in the previous financial year. The reduced level of planned maintenance follows Eskom’s intensive maintenance programme implemented last financial year – exceeding historical norms over the past three years – to restore fleet reliability.”
ALSO READ: Ramokgopa approves Eskom unbundling plan, but municipal debt a hurdle
Diesel usage
Mokwena added that planned maintenance remains aligned with Eskom’s maintenance schedule and supports ongoing efforts to enhance plant reliability, improve operational stability and strengthen long‑term fleet performance.
She said the ongoing improvement in EAF has greatly reduced Eskom’s dependence on expensive diesel generation, enabling a stronger focus on more cost‑effective primary energy sources.
“For the second consecutive week, no diesel was used, resulting in zero expenditure over the past two weeks. Diesel spending is now R2.511 billion lower than at the same time last year.”
No load shedding record
South Africa has now experienced 231 consecutive days without an interrupted supply, with only 26 hours of load shedding recorded in April and May during this financial year.
To maintain a stable electricity supply, Eskom will bring 5 585MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 05 January 2026.
ALSO READ: Eskom powers through 2025 with minimal load shedding
