KEY POINTS
- Eskom says South Africa has its most stable power system in five years, supported by rising plant availability and fewer breakdowns.
- Unplanned outages and diesel usage have fallen sharply, delivering major cost savings and improved reliability.
- With strong reserve margins and more capacity coming online, Eskom projects continued stability and no load shedding through summer.
Eskom says South Africa has entered 2026 with its most stable and resilient power system in at least five years, a development that is helping sustain economic activity and ensure a reliable return to work across the country.
The utility attributed the progress to the continued implementation of its Generation Recovery Plan, which it said is strengthening operations and reinforcing long-term energy security through improved plant availability and fewer unplanned breakdowns.
According to Eskom, the power system remains stable and better positioned than in previous years, reflecting sustained operational improvements across its generation fleet.
Koeberg Units Restored to Full Capacity
Eskom confirmed that both units at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station have been ramped back to full output following the clearance of a 132kV line fault earlier in the week.
Unit 1 is now producing its maximum capacity of 941MW, while Unit 2 is generating 950MW.
The utility reassured the public that nuclear operations remain safe, secure, and fully compliant with all safety standards, with no risk to electricity supply.
Eskom said the Energy Availability Factor has risen to 64.79 percent year to date, highlighting steady progress in restoring reliability.
The generation fleet has achieved or exceeded the 70 percent EAF level on 55 occasions so far, based on unaudited figures.
These gains, Eskom said, confirm a sustained recovery in performance and reinforce confidence in the stability and security of the national electricity supply.
