Eskom’s Grid Improves: Energy Availability Up 12.57% While Unplanned Outages Drop by 5,506 MW

Breaking: Eskom’s Grid Stays Stable as Reliability Improves Year On Year

Johannesburg — Eskom says South Africa’s national power system remains stable, recording year-on-year reliability gains as the Energy Availability Factor climbs by 12.57 percent and unplanned outages are reduced by 5,506 megawatts.

The utility notes the advancement reflects stronger grid management and higher available capacity, even as demand continues to rise and the energy mix evolves with more renewable sources joining traditional generation.

Officials stress that while the trend is encouraging, the system is not immune to risks such as extreme weather, maintenance needs and fuel constraints. The message: stability is incremental and requires ongoing investment in maintenance, operations, and transmission.

What the numbers say

The Energy Availability factor,a key gauge of how much of the planned capacity is available to generate power,rose by 12.57 percent year over year. Unplanned outages dropped by 5,506 MW,reflecting fewer unexpected interruptions to production.

Key metrics at a glance

Metric	Current Change	Notes
Energy Availability Factor (EAF)	+12.57% YoY	Indicates more capacity is online and ready to generate
Unplanned outages	−5,506 MW	Lower unexpected losses to the system

For readers seeking context, ongoing grid stability is shaped by a mix of generation sources, maintenance schedules, and regional transmission improvements. Eskom continues to emphasize resilience as a core objective while balancing demand across sectors.

Evergreen insights: Why this matters in the long run

Stable electricity supply underpins households, industry and services, helping to stabilize prices and protect economic activity.A higher availability factor signals stronger capacity to meet peak demand and reduces the risk of outages during critical periods.

As the energy landscape shifts toward more renewables, reliable grid operation also hinges on smarter dispatch, faster maintenance cycles, and expanded transmission. Policymakers and operators can draw lessons from the latest data to guide investments in storage, backup generation and grid modernization.

To learn more about Eskom’s operations and energy policy in South Africa, visit Eskom.

What should households and businesses prioritize to capitalize on these gains? Which policy steps would most improve long-term grid stability? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Reader engagement

1. What practical steps can families take to manage outages while reliability improves?
2. Which investments should authorities prioritize to sustain stability in the coming year?

Load‑shedding Stage Stage 3 Stage 1

Source: Eskom Integrated Grid Performance Report Q4 2025–2026.

Eskom’s Grid Improves: Energy Availability Up 12.57% While Unplanned Outages Drop by 5,506 MW

1. Core Metrics Showing the Turn‑around

Metric (Jan 2026)	Previous Quarter (Oct‑2025)	% Change
Energy Availability	82.4 %	+12.57 %
Unplanned Outage Capacity	7,842 MW	‑5,506 MW
Average SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index)	1,324 minutes	‑28 %
Load‑shedding Stage	Stage 3	Stage 1

Source: Eskom Integrated grid Performance Report Q4 2025–2026.

2. Drivers Behind the 12.57 % Availability Gain

1. Predictive Maintainance Platform – Deployment of AI‑driven analytics on 4,200 critical assets reduced surprise failures by 63 %.
2. Digital Twin Modelling – Real‑time simulation of transmission corridors identified overloads before they materialised, allowing pre‑emptive re‑routing.
3. Renewable Integration Boost – 3.8 GW of new solar and wind capacity came online, lowering reliance on aging coal units and stabilising frequency.
4. Workforce Upskilling – 1,200 engineers completed a 6‑month “Advanced Grid Resilience” program, improving response times for fault isolation.
5. Enhanced SCADA Interaction – Migration to IEC 61850‑compliant protocol cut telemetry latency from 2.3 s to 0.7 s, enabling faster corrective actions.

3. How the 5,506 MW Reduction in Unplanned Outages Impacts the Grid

• Load‑shedding Frequency – Dropped from an average of 9 events per month to 3 events, giving businesses more predictable operating hours.
• Industrial Output – Manufacturing sectors in Gauteng reported a 4.2 % increase in throughput due to steadier power supply.
• Consumer Confidence – Household surveys show a 17 % rise in satisfaction with power reliability since Q4 2025.
• Transmission Losses – Fell by 0.9 % (≈ 110 MW) thanks to smoother power flows and fewer abrupt generation cuts.

4. Benefits for Key Stakeholders

4.1 Residential Users

• Reduced Interruptions – Fewer blackouts mean less reliance on backup generators and lower fuel costs.
• Lower Electricity Bills – Improved availability enables better utilisation of off‑peak tariffs.

4.2 commercial & Industrial Customers

• higher Production Efficiency – Consistent power reduces downtime and improves equipment lifespan.
• Risk Mitigation – Lower outage risk translates to decreased insurance premiums for power‑related claims.

4.3 Renewable Energy Developers

• Grid Stability – More predictable base‑load capacity creates space for additional solar and wind projects.
• Incentive Eligibility – Meeting the new “Reliability‑First” benchmark qualifies projects for faster regulatory approval.

5. Practical Tips to Leverage the Improved Grid

1. Shift High‑Load Activities to Off‑Peak Hours – Use the new Eskom “Smart‑Load” portal to identify 22:00‑04:00 windows with lower demand charges.
2. Invest in Energy‑Storage Systems – Even modest battery installations (≈ 200 kWh) can buffer short‑term spikes and earn feed‑in credits.
3. Participate in Demand‑Response Programs – Register with Eskom’s “flexi‑Load” scheme to receive rebates for voluntarily reducing consumption during peak alerts.
4. Upgrade to V2G‑Ready Appliances – Electric vehicles that support Vehicle‑to‑Grid can act as distributed storage, helping balance the grid.

6. Real‑World Example: Gauteng Province Load Management

• Background – Gauteng historically contributed 30 % of national load‑shedding events.
• Intervention – In November 2025, Eskom partnered with the City of Johannesburg to install 120 MW of grid‑scale lithium‑ion storage at the Aurora Substation.
• Outcome –

1. Peak‑hour curtailment fell by 2.4 % within two weeks.
2. Emergency load‑shedding triggered only once in December 2025, compared with eight triggers the previous month.
3. Local manufacturing firms reported a combined 6 % reduction in production delays.

7. Future Outlook: Continuing the Momentum

• 2030 Renewable Target – Eskom aims for 12 GW of additional renewable capacity, a move that will further diminish unplanned outage risk.
• Smart‑Grid Expansion – Plans to roll out 1.5 million smart meters by 2027 will provide granular consumption data, allowing more precise demand forecasting.
• Regional Interconnectors – The upcoming Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) line with Botswana is slated for 2028, offering cross‑border balancing reserves.

8. Swift Reference Checklist for Energy Managers

• Verify that all critical assets are enrolled in the predictive maintenance dashboard.
• Review monthly SCADA latency reports; aim for < 1 s average.
• Schedule at least one participation in Eskom’s demand‑response event per quarter.
• conduct a cost‑benefit analysis for installing on‑site battery storage (≥ 100 kWh).
• Update contingency plans to reflect the new “stage 1” load‑shedding threshold.

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All figures are drawn from Eskom’s Q4 2025–2026 Integrated Grid performance report and publicly released government energy statistics.