The Camden power station in Mpumalanga. (Photo: Eskom)
Eskom announced on Saturday that the country has now been without any load shedding for 365 consecutive days – a milestone which, according to the power supplier, was last achieved in September 2018.
According to Eskom, this achievement marks a “definite turning point” for the country’s power system and the restoration of confidence in the utility company’s ability to deliver reliable electricity.
Eskom says the continued stability has led to a saving of R26.9 billion in diesel costs over the past three years, while the company has succeeded in meeting 100% of the country’s demand for electricity.
Mteto Nyati, chairman of Eskom’s board, said the milestone was the result of three years of work since the introduction of the generation recovery plan.
“Eskom’s employees have once again played their part using their deep technical and institutional capabilities built up over decades of public investment,” said Nyati.
Dan Marokane, CEO of Eskom, says that South Africa now has a stable electricity platform that enables the “orderly transformation of the industry”.
According to Eskom, the energy availability factor has improved from 54.56% to 65.16% since March 2023, while unplanned outages have decreased from 32.34% to 22.88%.
Stock Photo (Photo: Shutterstock)
The utility company says the reliance on diesel-powered emergency generation has also decreased sharply, with expenses falling from around R33.3 billion to R6.4 billion.
Eskom argues that the improved stability has also helped heavy industries, especially the ferrochrome industry, by providing greater security of electricity supply and limiting possible job losses.
The company says it remains focused on maintaining these profits while at the same time preparing for the gradual closure, reactivation and reuse of old coal power stations. A decision on this is expected between July and September this year.