S.Africa: ELECTRICITY: The best news in five years for Eskom customers
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South Africa has just experienced its longest stretch of uninterrupted power supply in five years.
According to an official statement issued on Friday (22 November), load shedding has been suspended for an unprecedented 240 consecutive days since 26 March 2024.
This progress, coupled with significant diesel savings, marks a remarkable shift for the utility and its customers. However, industry experts caution that this is not a sign of complete recovery.
The economic impact of this uninterrupted power supply cannot be overstated.
Businesses, industries, and households have been able to operate without the constant disruptions that have plagued the country for years.
Diesel savings alone amounted to R16.33 billion—a 71.2% reduction compared to the same period last year when R22.94 billion was spent.
Such savings not only ease Eskom’s financial burden but also indicate a broader shift in how energy is managed.
Chris Yelland, a prominent energy analyst, commended Eskom’s progress.
“Credit must be given where it’s due.
“The reduction in unplanned outages and improvement in energy availability are noteworthy.
However, we cannot ignore the significant role that private solar uptake has played in alleviating demand on the grid,” he said.
Yelland’s comments highlight an essential dynamic: while Eskom’s operational improvements are a key factor, the contribution of private investments in renewable energy has been a game-changer.
South Africans have embraced solar energy on a large scale, effectively easing pressure on the national grid and enabling Eskom to undertake critical maintenance.
Over the past week, Eskom reported a significant drop in unplanned outages, averaging 10,478MW compared to 16,367MW during the same period last year—a 5,890MW improvement.
This decline reflects enhanced operational efficiency, enabling more planned maintenance activities and increased generation capacity.
Eskom’s Energy Availability Factor (EAF) improved to an average of 64.5% over the past week, with top-performing stations like Medupi, Kusile, and Matla achieving EAFs above 70%.
Year-to-date, the EAF stands at 63.1%, a marked improvement from the 55.5% recorded during the same period in 2023.
Despite these achievements, Yelland and others urge caution.
The utility still faces challenges, including an ageing coal-fired fleet, vulnerabilities in its transmission infrastructure, and systemic issues like vandalism, theft, and illegal connections.
Additionally, Eskom’s reliance on its Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) during peak demand periods, while strategic, remains a costly and unsustainable measure.
From April to November 2024, Eskom spent R6.61 billion on OCGTs, significantly lower than last year’s R22.94 billion. However, these turbines only account for a fraction of the grid’s total generation.
Eskom’s improved performance aligns with its Summer Outlook, which predicted a load-shedding-free period from September 2024 to March 2025 due to structural improvements.
These include reduced Unplanned Capacity Loss Factors (UCLF), which dropped to 25.0% year-to-date from 33.6% last year.
Planned maintenance has also increased, with 8,402MW currently undergoing maintenance as part of Eskom’s summer strategy.
While these developments provide a glimmer of hope, challenges persist.
Local issues such as illegal connections, vandalism, and meter tampering continue to strain the network, often necessitating load reduction measures to prevent overloading and damage to transformers.
The road ahead for Eskom remains arduous.
While the utility has made strides in stabilising the grid and restoring public confidence, its ability to sustain these gains will depend on continued investment, robust maintenance programs, and the adoption of innovative energy solutions.
At the same time, the growing role of private solar installations underscores the importance of diversifying South Africa’s energy landscape.
In many ways, the past 240 days reflect the combined efforts of a beleaguered utility striving to reform and a nation increasingly taking energy security into its own hands.
The question now is whether this momentum can be sustained to ensure a brighter, more reliable energy future for all South Africans.
Source: https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/801251/the-best-news-in-five-years-for-eskom-customers/
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