South Africans have now enjoyed more than 105 consecutive days without loadshedding, with Eskom confirming that the national grid remains stable and reliable. The power utility attributes this achievement to fewer unplanned outages and sustained improvements in the performance of its generation fleet.
In a statement on Friday, Eskom said: “This milestone builds on the momentum of Financial Year (FY) 2025, which recorded 352 loadshedding-free days, and reflects a significant improvement from the 36 days achieved in FY2024. As the winter season concludes, the national grid remains stable and reliable, reinforcing Eskom’s commitment to ending loadshedding.”
Power Supply Improvements
According to Eskom, the improved performance of its generation fleet has met more than 97% of electricity demand this winter and during the financial year so far. South Africa has been loadshedding-free since 15 May 2025, with only 26 hours of power cuts recorded between 1 April and 28 August 2025.
The utility noted that breakdowns and unplanned losses are currently at 8 948MW, well below the 10 000MW threshold. This is a sign of structural progress achieved through the ongoing Generation Recovery Plan. During the same period, planned maintenance increased to an average of 6 968MW, while the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has steadily improved to 66.15% month-to-date, fluctuating between 64% and 75%.
Additional Capacity
Eskom also highlighted the contribution of Kusile Unit 6, which has been supplying 720MW to the grid since March 2025. While not yet in commercial operation, the unit is expected to reach that stage by September 2025. The power utility plans to return an additional 4 830MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on 1 September 2025 and throughout the week.
Operational Efficiency
Between April and August 2025, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF) dropped to 27.3%, showing steady week-on-week improvement. The use of open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) also decreased, with the load factor falling to just 0.16% this week, compared to 0.78% the previous week. Diesel spend remains well below the allocated budget.
Looking Ahead
Referring to its earlier Winter Outlook, Eskom said: “The Winter Outlook, published on 5 May 2025, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. It indicates that loadshedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. If outages rise to 15 000MW, loadshedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to Stage 2.”
With two days left in the Winter Outlook period, Eskom confirmed that the available generation capacity currently stands at 29 132MW, compared to Friday’s electricity demand of 25 797MW — more than enough to meet national needs. The Summer Outlook is expected to be released in September 2025.
This milestone marks one of the longest sustained periods without loadshedding in recent years, offering relief to households, businesses, and students across South Africa. -SAnews.gov.za
