South Africa Marks 168 Consecutive Days Without Load Shedding, Signalling Improved Grid Stability

A Significant Milestone for South Africa's Power Grid

South Africa's national power utility, Eskom, has announced a remarkable achievement: the country has gone 168 consecutive days without experiencing load shedding. This period of sustained power supply, with only 26 hours of load shedding recorded in April and May of the current financial year, indicates a notable improvement in grid stability and operational efficiency.

The announcement comes as a welcome development for a nation that has grappled with chronic power shortages since 2007, with 2023 being one of the most severely affected years.

Factors Driving Enhanced Grid Performance

Eskom attributes this extended period of stability to the diligent implementation of its Generation Recovery Plan. This comprehensive strategy has led to sustained improvements across various operational metrics.

• Reduced Unplanned Outages: Between October 24 and October 30, 2025, unplanned outages averaged 8,768MW, marking a year-on-year reduction of 1,069MW.
• Improved Energy Availability Factor (EAF): The year-to-date EAF has risen to 63.06%. More specifically, from October 1 to October 30, 2025, the EAF reached 65.9%, a 3.66% improvement compared to the 62.24% recorded during the same period last year.
• Decreased Reliance on Diesel: The load factor for Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) has significantly dropped to 0.0001% from 0.23% the previous week, reflecting substantial efficiency gains and reduced diesel expenditure, which remains below budget year-to-date.

Key Infrastructure Bolstering Supply

Crucial infrastructure developments have played a pivotal role in strengthening South Africa's electricity supply. The reconnection of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 to the national grid after major maintenance is a significant factor. With both units now online, the plant is set to contribute over 1,860MW to the national grid.

Furthermore, the commercial operation of Kusile Power Station Unit 6 on September 29, 2025, marked the completion of Eskom's New-Build Programme. Together, the Medupi and Kusile power stations are capable of delivering up to 9,600MW at full capacity, reinforcing the country's baseload supply.

Outlook and Remaining Challenges

Looking ahead, Eskom's Summer Outlook, released on September 5, 2025, projects no load shedding through March 2026, supported by ongoing recovery efforts. The utility has also set an ambitious goal to eliminate load reduction entirely by 2027.

Despite these positive developments, Eskom continues to address challenges such as 'load reduction' in certain high-risk areas. This targeted measure is implemented to protect overloaded infrastructure from issues like illegal connections and meter tampering, which can compromise network integrity and safety.