Eskom Saves R13.7 Billion From Suspended Load Shedding

Eskom saved R13.7 billion on diesel due to more than seven months of suspended load shedding. The company confirmed that load shedding has not occurred for 219 consecutive days since March 26, this year.

Eskom attributed these savings to investments in its Generation Recovery Plan, which have helped maintain a stable power supply across South Africa and improve efficiency.

Last week, the energy company also reached an important milestone in its operational efficiency, getting closer to its goal of a 70% Energy Availability Factor (EAF) by the end of March 2025.

Eskom reported that it has achieved a significant reduction in unplanned outages, measured by the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) and Other Capacity Loss Factors (OCLF), bringing the figure down to 7,299 MW.

This is the best UCLF result Eskom has seen in four years. This achievement comes after Eskom recently marked its longest period without load shedding in five years, reaching 206 days of uninterrupted power supply on Oct. 19.

Eskom explained that the decrease in unplanned outages means there is more generation capacity available to meet the country's electricity needs. It also allows Eskom to carry out more planned maintenance, which is important for improving the reliability and stability of the power generation system.

Eskom's EAF rose to an average of 65% over the past week and 63.1% for the year so far. Some of the top-performing power stations, such as Grootvlei, Camden, Medupi, Lethabo, and peaking facilities, achieved EAFs of over 70%. Furthermore, five other power stations reported EAFs above 60%.

"By Monday evening, an additional 4,030 MW is expected to return online, with six units on cold reserve this weekend to manage supply and demand balance," Eskom said, SA News reported.

Even though load shedding is currently suspended, Eskom is still dealing with network overloading issues in some areas.

These problems are caused by illegal connections, vandalism, meter tampering, unauthorized network operations, theft of equipment, and buying electricity from unlicensed vendors.

Eskom has warned that illegal connections can create safety risks and may lead to load reduction measures and unplanned power outages.

The company strongly encourages customers to avoid illegal connections, as they can harm the entire local community. It is also important for customers to buy electricity only from authorized vendors.