- Energy availability and plant reliability continue to improve, supporting sustained grid stability.
- Diesel use remains at zero for a fifth consecutive week, delivering significant cost savings.
- Progress accelerates on eliminating load reduction through smart meters and network upgrades.
Eskom has entered 2026 with a markedly stronger and more stable power system, underpinned by rising plant availability, reduced unplanned outages and sustained operational improvements. The utility says the improved performance is supporting economic activity and reflects the continued impact of its Generation Recovery Plan.
Following the resolution of a 132 kilovolt line fault earlier this week, both units at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station have returned to full capacity. Unit 1 and Unit 2 are now producing 941 megawatts and 950 megawatts respectively. Eskom confirmed that operations at Koeberg remain safe and fully compliant with nuclear safety standards.
The Energy Availability Factor has increased to 64.79 percent year to date, highlighting ongoing progress in restoring fleet reliability. Eskom reports that the generation fleet has achieved or exceeded the 70 percent Energy Availability Factor level on 55 occasions based on unaudited figures. The improvement reinforces confidence in national energy security and grid stability.
Between 16 and 22 January 2026, average unplanned outages declined to 8 067 megawatts, compared with 13 390 megawatts during the same period last year. This represents an improvement of 5 323 megawatts. Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor fell to 16.63 percent, compared with 27.89 percent a year earlier.
Planned maintenance averaged 12.64 percent during the week, slightly below the previous financial year level. Eskom attributes the reduced maintenance requirement to an intensive maintenance programme implemented over the past three years, which focused on restoring plant reliability and is now yielding operational benefits.
Improved plant performance has significantly reduced Eskom’s reliance on diesel fired generation. For a fifth consecutive week, no diesel was used, resulting in zero expenditure over the past four weeks. Year to date diesel spending is R3.63 billion lower than the same period last year and remains below budget. Eskom currently has 9 041 megawatts in cold reserve due to excess capacity.
South Africa has now recorded 252 consecutive days without an interrupted electricity supply, with only 26 hours of loadshedding experienced in April and May 2025 during the current financial year.
To support evening peak demand on Monday, 26 January 2026, Eskom plans to bring 2 320 megawatts of additional capacity online. Evening demand is forecast at 22 601 megawatts, against available capacity of 27 532 megawatts, providing a healthy reserve margin.
Eskom’s Summer Outlook, published in September 2025, projects no loadshedding for the period through to the end of March 2026, based on sustained improvements in generation performance.
Despite overall system stability, illegal connections and meter tampering continue to pose risks to infrastructure and public safety. Eskom is therefore continuing load reduction in high risk areas while rolling out a phased programme to eliminate load reduction by 2027. The programme targets 971 feeders and is expected to benefit around 1.69 million customers nationwide.
Progress includes the installation of more than 267 000 smart meters, with approximately a third deployed on load reduction feeders, primarily in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu Natal. To date, 84 feeders have been removed from load reduction, benefiting nearly 108 000 customers. Eskom aims to remove 271 feeders from load reduction by March 2026, alongside expanding smart meter deployment, integrating distributed energy resources and increasing access to free basic electricity.
Eskom says the combination of improved generation performance, disciplined maintenance and targeted network interventions is strengthening the resilience, efficiency and affordability of South Africa’s power system.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
