Electricity provider Eskom's next goal is to reduce the need for load reduction after saying its generation recovery plan has brought stability to the grid.
The utility said its winter 2025 schedule ended on August 31 with only 26-hours of load-shedding across four nights, successfully supplying electricity 97% of the time to support the economy.
The summer outlook for September 1 to March 31 forecasts no load-shedding, a recovery from last summer’s 13 days of load-shedding due to delayed unit returns from planned maintenance.
Eskom said: "This summer represents an even greater improvement compared with the 176 days of load-shedding during the 2023/24 summer, when electricity was available only 17% of the time.
"The outlook is supported by an ongoing recovery and structural improvements in the generation fleet."
This included completion of long-term outages and new builds, including Medupi unit 4 and Kusile unit 6 added this year.
Diesel generator expenditure reduced from R33bn in the year ending March 31 2024 to about R17bn for the year ended March 31 2025. Diesel use has continued to steadily decline, falling from around 16.02% load factor in April to 1.84% in August.
Koeberg unit 1 is also expected to return to service after maintenance this month.
"Our recovery of generation capacity, improved plant performance and operational excellence are stabilising the national grid and enhancing service delivery," Eskom group chief executive Dan Marokane said.
Our recovery of generation capacity, improved plant performance and operational excellence are stabilising the national grid and enhancing service delivery
— Eskom group chief executive Dan Marokane
"We are increasing our focus and capacity to drive further efficiencies across Eskom through primary energy optimisation, procurement efficiencies, digital transformation and capital productivity, together with revenue growth opportunities."
Key priorities include rolling out projects under its transmission development plan to unlock 56,000MW of new capacity over the next decade.
It also plans to expand transmission to integrate renewables and "drive the development of a wholesale electricity market".
By March next year, Eskom said it aims to reduce load reduction by up to 20% and eliminate it within two years by tackling electricity theft and removing more than 600,000 illegal connections, installing 7.2-million smart meters with 880,000 already deployed, upgrading the network where necessary and registering more households for free basic electricity.
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