South Africa’s power utility Eskom has reported sustained stability across its national electricity system, supported by steady progress under its Generation Recovery Plan and consistent improvements in the Energy Availability Factor (EAF).

For the financial year to date (1 April 2025 to 5 February 2026), Eskom’s EAF increased to 65.03%, reflecting ongoing improvements in fleet reliability and system performance. The utility noted that its generation fleet achieved or exceeded the 70% EAF threshold on 66 occasions, underscoring strengthened operational stability and energy security.

Between 30 January and 5 February 2026, average unplanned outages declined sharply to 9,177 MW, compared to 13,440 MW recorded during the same period last year — a significant improvement of 4,263 MW. Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) dropped to 19.07%, marking an improvement of 8.91 percentage points year-on-year.

Planned maintenance levels also decreased, with Eskom’s Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF) averaging 10.03%, down from 13.72% last year. The reduction reflects the impact of Eskom’s intensive maintenance programme implemented over the past year to restore plant reliability and improve long-term fleet performance.

The improved generation performance has significantly reduced Eskom’s reliance on diesel-powered Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs). No diesel was utilised in the past week, resulting in zero fuel expenditure, while cumulative diesel spending stands R4.81 billion lower year-on-year. Between April 2025 and February 2026, OCGT generation fell by 42.1%, while diesel expenditure declined by 43.6%, highlighting major cost savings.

South Africa has now recorded 266 consecutive days without supply interruptions, with only 26 hours of loadshedding reported earlier in the financial year. Eskom expects 26,843 MW of available capacity against a forecast evening peak demand of 23,596 MW on Monday, 9 February 2026, ensuring a healthy reserve margin.

The utility reaffirmed that its Summer Outlook, published in September 2025, projects no loadshedding until March 2026, supported by sustained improvements in plant reliability.

To address persistent challenges related to illegal connections and electricity theft, Eskom continues its load reduction elimination programme, targeting 971 feeders and benefiting approximately 1.69 million customers by 2027. So far, 116 feeders have been removed from load reduction, benefiting over 140,000 customers nationwide.

Eskom has installed 299,236 smart meters, with 103,873 deployed on load reduction feeders, as part of efforts to strengthen billing accuracy, curb losses, and improve grid stability. However, the rollout has faced resistance in high-risk areas, resulting in delays of approximately 122,000 planned installations.

Nationally, 579,360 customers are registered under the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme, reflecting a 19.4% increase from baseline figures.

Eskom reiterated its commitment to ensuring a safe, reliable, and resilient electricity network, while calling on communities to report illegal activities and safeguard electricity infrastructure.