Eskom Celebrates One Year Free of Load-Shedding as Finances Improve

Johannesburg – South Africa has achieved a remarkable milestone not experienced in eight years: a complete year without load-shedding.

At 00:01 on Saturday, 16 May 2026, Eskom announced that the nation had celebrated 365 consecutive days of uninterrupted electricity supply, a feat last accomplished in September 2018.

The utility hailed this accomplishment as a significant shift from a precarious grid to a stable, high-functioning power system.

Eskom Board Chairman Mteto Nyati attributed the success to the generation recovery plan initiated in 2023, highlighting how employees leveraged decades of technical expertise to ensure reliability.

“South Africa now possesses a dependable electricity framework to facilitate an orderly evolution of the industry,” remarked Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane, emphasizing that no energy market liberalization has been successful without a reliable incumbent.

Operational data indicates continued enhancements.

The Energy Availability Factor improved from 54.56% to 65.16% between 2023 and 2026, while unplanned outages decreased from 32.34% to 22.88%.

Diesel costs fell dramatically from R33.3 billion to R6.4 billion, signifying a diminished reliance on emergency generation.

The continuous supply has resulted in savings of R26.9 billion in diesel expenses over three years and allowed Eskom to meet 100% of the national electricity demand.

Group Executive for Generation Bheki Nxumalo noted that employee morale is at a record high, with consistent maintenance and improved reliability across the fleet driving these advancements.

“Today marks the most hard-earned progress in Eskom’s recent history,” he stated.

The dependable supply has bolstered energy-intensive sectors, notably ferrochrome producers, aiding in sustaining operations and safeguarding jobs.

It has also facilitated greater integration of renewable energy during peak demand times, enhancing system flexibility.

Financially, Eskom reported a 2.1% year-on-year increase in pre-tax profit and a 1.6% rise in EBITDA for FY2026, while Standard & Poor’s upgraded its credit rating for the first time in over a decade.

Looking forward, Eskom aims to maintain these achievements while preparing for the gradual shutdown and repurposing of older coal-fired stations, with decisions anticipated in the second quarter of FY2027.

The utility also acknowledged progress in its targeted load reduction initiatives, with over half a million households now benefiting from constant supply.

Both the Northern Cape and Western Cape have completely eliminated load reduction.

Thanking the government for its support via the Energy Action Plan and NECOM, Eskom stated that this success reflects collective efforts to stabilize the grid and safeguard infrastructure.

The utility stressed that a stable and predictable power supply is now empowering businesses to plan with confidence, fostering investment and growth throughout the economy.