The achievement marks a decisive shift from recovery to reliability, ensuring the country has met winter demand.
Eskom has delivered its best system performance in nearly a decade. Picture: iStock
Winter is almost over, and not a day of load shedding has been recorded during the cold and bitter season so far.
This comes after Eskom delivered its strongest performance in six years, with the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) climbing to 67.55% and unplanned outages nearly halved year‑on‑year.
Recovery to reliability
According to the power utility, the achievement marks a decisive shift from recovery to reliability, ensuring the country has met winter demand without load shedding for 455 consecutive days.
Eskom said that between 13 and 16 August 2026, Eskom’s intensified operations delivered major milestones.
Eskom said the turnaround is underpinned by improved plant performance. More than 71% of its coal fleet is operating at EAF levels between 71% and 93%, returning 6.1GW of generating capacity to the grid compared with three years ago.
Unplanned outages fell to 6 653MW from 11 982MW in the same week last year, a reduction equivalent to the combined capacity of Camden and Kriel power stations.
According to Eskom, financial sustainability has also improved.
Diesel
Diesel expenditure plunged by 83.2% year‑on‑year, dropping from R5.89 billion to R989.88 million. The Open‑Cycle Gas Turbine load factor averaged just 1.15%, down from 9.08% last year, reflecting reduced reliance on costly diesel generation.
“This has translated into an 83% reduction in diesel expenditure and provides further evidence that sustained improvements in fleet performance are strengthening system reliability,” Eskom noted.
Operational gains
Eskom’s leadership praised the operational gains.
“We are intensifying the fight against cross‑border crime and closing the routes that criminal syndicates believe they can exploit. The recovery of these vehicles and the seizure of illicit cigarettes demonstrate that our intelligence‑driven deployments are yielding results, Eskom said.
“We will continue pursuing these criminal networks and ensure that those who facilitate cross‑border crime face the full might of the law.”
Winter outlook
With available capacity at 30 878MW against a forecast evening peak of 27 177MW, Eskom said remains confident in its Winter Outlook, which projects no load shedding through August.
“South Africa has recorded 455 consecutive days without load shedding since May 2025, delivering reliable electricity that powers homes, enables businesses to grow, and supports broader economic development,” Eskom added.
Eskom said its six‑year high in energy availability, reduced outages, and sharp cut in diesel use signal a new era of stability for South Africa’s electricity supply.
