KEY POINTS
- Eskom has removed over 700,000 households from load reduction as part of a national programme targeting 1.7 million customers and full elimination by 2027.
- The utility is accelerating smart meter rollout and grid modernisation, though it faces delays due to community resistance, safety risks, and installation disruptions.
- Power system performance has improved significantly, with over 385 days without load shedding and rising energy availability supported by new generation capacity.
Eskom has reported major progress in its nationwide programme aimed at eliminating load reduction by 2027, with more than 700,000 households already removed from the system.
According to the utility, about 714,513 customers are no longer affected, representing over 42% of the targeted households, with full elimination already achieved in the Northern and Western Cape.
The initiative is designed to address electricity supply challenges affecting nearly 1.7 million customers across 971 feeders nationwide, as part of broader efforts to stabilise the grid and improve service delivery.
Central to the programme is the large-scale rollout of smart meters, integration of distributed energy resources, and expansion of Free Basic Electricity support, all aimed at improving efficiency and empowering customers with real-time usage data.
Eskom confirmed that about 1.6 million smart meters have already been installed across South Africa, with over 295,000 deployed specifically in high-priority load reduction areas.
The utility explained that these interventions are targeted at regions suffering from overloaded infrastructure, illegal connections, meter bypassing, and electricity theft, with the goal of reducing losses while improving transparency and control for consumers.
Operational Challenges and Community Resistance
Despite progress, Eskom noted that the rollout has faced significant obstacles, particularly in certain communities where installation teams have encountered resistance, intimidation, violence, and repeated work stoppages.
These disruptions have resulted in delays affecting more than 122,000 planned meter conversions and have forced the redeployment of installation teams, raising safety concerns for workers and slowing implementation.
The utility stated that it has engaged extensively with communities through councillors, public meetings, radio programmes, and social media campaigns to support the initiative, but acknowledged that resistance continues to hinder smooth execution in some areas.
Alongside its infrastructure programme, Eskom reported continued improvement in system performance, noting that South Africa has gone over 385 days without load shedding. The utility said its Energy Availability Factor has risen to 63.05%, reflecting a significant improvement compared to previous years, driven by reduced unplanned outages and better plant performance.
To further strengthen supply stability, Eskom also announced plans to add 3,903MW of generation capacity ahead of the evening peak, reinforcing its ongoing turnaround strategy aimed at ensuring a more reliable electricity supply.
