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IOL News
10-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Eskom reports stability in power supply ahead of winter challenges
Eskom in a statement on Friday said that the system remains stable despite being constrained. Eskom has assured the country that system remains stable despite being constrained on the back of rising demand as a result of inclement weather conditions. The State-owned power utility on Friday said it would add 2 550MW to the grid on Monday, and thus rotational load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. 'While system constraints are occasionally experienced, adequate emergency reserves are in place and are being strategically deployed to support demand during the morning and evening peak periods, particularly as the country prepares for a forecasted cold spell in the coming week,' it said. Eskom added that it was making steady progress as they move beyond the peak maintenance season, with the Planned Capability Loss Factor (PCLF) having decreased from last week's average of ~4 883MW to this week's (30 May to 5 June) average of ~4 035MW. 'As a result, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has been recovering as expected, now fluctuating between 61% and 64% since Monday. Month-to-date, the EAF stands at 60.42%, reflecting the successful return of additional generation units from planned maintenance,' Eskom said. 'For the financial year-to-date, planned maintenance has averaged 5 974MW, representing 12.76% of total generation capacity. This reflects a decrease from the previous week, but a 2.1% increase compared to the same period last year.' Eskom said that it planned to return a total of 2 550MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on Monday to further stabilise the grid. 'The Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF), which measures the capacity lost due to unplanned outages, stands at 28.93% for the financial year to date (1 April to 5 June 2025). This represents a slight increase of ~0.8% compared to 28.17% recorded over the same period last year,' it said. 'The increase in the UCLF this week includes the delay in returning the 800MW from Medupi Unit 4, which is in the final stages of a long-term recovery project following generator damages in August 2021.' Eskom added that commissioning activities are currently underway and Grid Code compliance testing is expected to resume in the coming week. 'The unit is anticipated to return to service within June 2025. The Open-Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased to 6.31% this week, compared to 12.70% in the previous week (23 to 29 May 2025). This decline indicates reduced reliance on diesel.' Eskom said that the financial year-to-date OCGT load factor reflects a 5.2% decrease compared to the year-to-date figure from the previous week. 'The diesel expenditure is still within budget for the current financial year. Diesel usage is expected to decline further as more units return from long-term repairs and maintenance activities are reduced, increasing available generation capacity,' Eskom said. 'The Winter Outlook, published on 5 May 2025, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. It indicates that loadshedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. If outages rise to 15 000MW, loadshedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to Stage 2.' Energy expert Ruse Moleshe, managing director of RUBK, said that Eskom was entering the winter period when demand for electricity was typically higher due to higher need for heating and other services. 'The concerted effort to focus on and increase maintenance during the summer season bodes well for winter, due to expected plant reliability. So does bringing the additional 2500 MW capacity on stream. All these efforts will contribute to increased plant availability,' Moleshe said. 'Although the risk of unplanned outages or plant breakdowns remains, given the constrained system, Eskom has done well to plan for the winter period and ensure all efforts are made to increase supply options to meet the needs of consumers.' BUSINESS REPORT
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Power system constrained but stable, despite cold front, Eskom
The cold weather is expected to force residents to use their heating appliances in abundance. Eskom says the power system remains stable and continues to demonstrate resilience despite the cold front sweeping across the country. The South African Weather Service (Saws) issued two orange and six yellow level warnings for several parts of the country, with warnings of very cold, wet and windy conditions, including snow for several parts of the country. Load shedding The cold weather is expected to force residents to use their heating appliances in abundance to keep warm, putting pressure on the electricity grid. However, Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said there are no plans for load shedding. 'While system constraints are occasionally experienced, adequate emergency reserves are in place and are being strategically deployed to support demand during the morning and evening peak periods, particularly as the country prepares for a forecasted cold spell in the coming week'. ALSO READ: Snow, disruptive rain and severe thunderstorms to sweep across country Winter outlook Mokwena said Eskom's winter Outlook, published on 5 May 2025, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. 'It indicates that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. If outages rise to 15 000MW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to stage 2'. 'While load shedding remains suspended and electricity demand continues to rise during the winter period, Eskom urges the public to avoid illegal connections and energy theft. These activities often lead to transformer overloads, equipment failures, and in some cases, explosions and extended outages, prompting the need for load reduction to protect the network,' Mokwena said. Maintenance Mokwena said Eskom is making steady progress as it moves beyond the peak maintenance season, with the Planned Capability Loss Factor (PCLF) having decreased from an average of 4 883MW to average of 4 035MW. 'As a result, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has been recovering as expected, now fluctuating between 61% and 64% since Monday. Month-to-date, the EAF stands at 60.42%, reflecting the successful return of additional generation units from planned maintenance'. Diesel usage Mokwena said the Open-Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased to 6.31% this week, compared to 12.70% in the previous week (23 to 29 May 2025). 'This decline indicates reduced reliance on diesel'. Mokwena said diesel usage is expected to decline further as more units return from long-term repairs and maintenance activities are reduced, increasing available generation capacity. NOW READ: Eskom winter outlook: Here's how many days of load shedding to expect in SA
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom denies reports of 14-hour load shedding in June
Eskom said the power system is stable. As the winter season approaches, Eskom has denied reports that it plans to implement 14-hour load shedding. This comes after a post was circulated on social media platforms about the rolling blackout next month. '14-hour load shedding: Residents of Gauteng and the Northern Cape are set to face significant disruptions this week with a scheduled 14-hour load shedding. As the national power grid struggles to meet demand, these prolonged outages are expected to impact daily life significantly,' the post claimed. Fake news Eskom labelled the report as fake news. 'Eskom categorically rejects the false claims circulating online about a 14-hour outage or imminent load shedding. These reports are completely untrue'. Eskom said the power system is stable. 'Load shedding has remained suspended since 22:00 on 15 May 2025. There are no planned outages of this scale. 'Misinformation causes unnecessary alarm. Stay informed— trust only official Eskom updates on our official platforms. Be vigilant, verify information before you share,' Eskom said. ALSO READ: Load shedding caution despite Eskom's confidence [VIDEO] Winter outlook Meanwhile, Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the power system demonstrated resilience as the cold front hit some parts of the country. 'System constraints remain, and adequate emergency reserves are in place and strategically deployed to support demand during the morning and evening peak winter periods. 'As the winter season sets in, planned maintenance has gradually decreased, averaging 4 482MW this week (16 to 22 May 2025)—slightly higher than the typical winter maintenance levels in prior years,' Mokwena said. Diesel expenditure She said the Open-Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased to 7.65% compared to 10.94% in the previous week (9 to 15 May 2025). 'The diesel expenditure is still within budget for the current financial year. Diesel usage is expected to decline further as more units return from long-term repairs and maintenance activities are reduced, increasing available generation capacity'. Load shedding in Winter Mokwena said the winter outlook covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. She said it indicates that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. 'If outages rise to 15 000MW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to stage 2,' Mokwena said. ALSO READ: Eskom winter outlook: Here's how many days of load shedding to expect in SA
The South African
10-05-2025
- Business
- The South African
Eskom to implement a 14-hour power outage in parts of Tshwane
Eskom will interrupt power supply to parts of Tshwane on Thursday, 15 May, due to emergency maintenance on its distribution network. The planned power outage will last for 14 hours, from 9:00 to 23:00. It will impact customers in the Cullinan area, including the Council for Geoscience, National Library, Donkerhoek plots, Galagos Country Estate, Kleinfontein, and Rhenosterfontein plots. 'The interruption in electricity supply is necessary to perform essential emergency maintenance on our distribution power lines,' Eskom confirmed in a notice on Friday. The utility advised all affected customers to treat electrical appliances as live for safety during the outage. Eskom: Grid stability remains intact despite maintenance Eskom reassured the public that the power system remains stable. From 1 April to 8 May, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) dropped to 27.99%—a 1.2% improvement compared to last year. Additionally, planned maintenance activities have increased to 6 904MW, or 14.76% of total generation capacity. 'The power system remains stable, supported by adequate emergency reserves that are strategically deployed when necessary to manage periods of high winter peak demand,' the utility said. Eskom also reported a slight increase in its Open-Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) usage—rising from 3.78% to 3.87% in early May—but noted that diesel reliance is declining. According to Eskom's Winter Outlook on 5 May, the utility does not expect load shedding if unplanned power outages stay below 13 000MW. Even if breakdowns increase to 15 000MW, Eskom estimates Stage 2 load shedding would only be implemented for 21 out of 153 winter days, a significant improvement compared to last year's projections of Stage 5. To support this outlook, Eskom plans to return 2 970MW to service before the evening peak on Monday, 12 May. This additional capacity is expected to ease pressure on the grid during winter. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
