Zuko Komisa
- Eskom projects a stable power supply with no load shedding from 1 April to 31 August 2026.
- Operational gains have saved R26.9 billion in diesel costs and secured 341 days of grid stability.
- Infrastructure upgrades and smart meter roll-outs aim to end localised load reduction by 2027.
Eskom has announced a positive outlook for the 2026 winter season, projecting a period of sustained energy stability.
During a “State of the System” briefing, the utility confirmed that its national grid is now sufficiently resilient to meet peak demand from 1 April to 31 August without rotational power cuts. This shift follows the successful embedding of a Generation Recovery Plan into daily operations.
Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane stated that the utility has moved beyond short-term recovery into a phase of sustained security.
This stable platform allows Eskom to begin integrating renewable energy sources as per the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan. Furthermore, the utility is assessing the pace of new capacity builds to determine the eventual transition of its coal-fired fleet.
Significant financial and technical improvements underpin this stability. Diesel expenditure has plummeted by R26.9 billion due to reduced reliance on gas turbines.
Technical data reveals that the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has risen to 65.35%, while unplanned losses have been slashed by 7.1GW surpassing the total capacity of the Kusile Power Station.
Eskom is also working to eliminate “load reduction,” which is used to protect infrastructure from illegal connections.
By installing 600,000 smart meters and strengthening local networks, Eskom has already cleared the Western and Northern Cape of these schedules. The utility expects to resolve 60% of affected areas by September 2026, with the remaining clusters addressed by 2027.
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