South Africa: Eskom Carries South Africa Through Load Shedding Free Winter

What the report says

South Africa’s state power utility Eskom said it carried the country through the entire 2026 winter season without load shedding, according to a report distributed by AllAfrica and originally published by SAnews.gov.za. The article says the grid remained stable even during periods of heavy cloud cover that reduced rooftop solar output, and that the outcome matched Eskom’s earlier forecast of a load shedding-free winter.

Eskom attributed the improved performance to stronger generation reliability and maintenance. The utility said its year-to-date Energy Availability Factor rose to 67.79%, its highest level since 2020, while unplanned outages fell to 19.47% from 34.48%. It also said the gains restored 6,888 megawatts of generation capacity compared with three years ago, reducing the need to rely on diesel-fired open-cycle gas turbines.

The report adds that Eskom has now logged about 476 days without load shedding, which the utility linked to fewer breakdowns and a more disciplined maintenance programme. It also said its separate Load Reduction Eradication Programme has moved about 1.22 million customers back to normal supply, with seven provinces now free from load reduction. More broadly, the development matters because South Africa’s power shortages have long affected households and businesses, and Eskom’s improved performance is being presented as a sign of greater energy security.