Eskom posts decade-best performance: zero diesel, lowest outages in eight years

Eskom has reported its strongest system performance in nearly a decade, announcing two consecutive weeks without diesel support, a peak daily Energy Availability Factor and the lowest unplanned outages in eight years.

Key performance gains

The utility said it did not use any diesel to support the grid between 24 and 30 July, marking the second consecutive week without diesel expenditure. Year-to-date diesel costs stood at R807.41 million, compared with R5.63 billion for the same period last year a reported 85.67% reduction.

Fleet availability and outages

Eskom recorded a daily Energy Availability Factor (EAF) of 82.04% on 26 July, which the utility said was its highest since 2017. The company said more than 85% of the coal fleet is operating at EAF levels between 73% and 97%. Compared to three years ago, Eskom reported the EAF had improved by 11.8%, returning approximately 5.9GW of generating capacity to the grid.

Unplanned outages were reduced to 4 562MW, described as the lowest level in eight years. Eskom said the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) improved to 11.74% from 22.21% in the corresponding period last year.

Load reduction and demand

The utility said its Load Reduction Eradication Programme continues to deliver results. Six provinces are now load reduction-free, with 1.196 million customers removed from load reduction schedules. Eskom said it remained on track to eliminate load reduction in a seventh province by October 2026, and targets nationwide eradication for 2027.

On broader supply, the company noted South Africa had gone 441 consecutive days without load-shedding since May 2025. Eskom confirmed demand was met 100% of the time between April and July this year, with available capacity reportedly exceeding winter peaks.

What Eskom says

“This sustained improvement is reflected in the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF), which significantly improved to 11.74% from 22.21% in the corresponding period last year,” Eskom noted.

The utility framed the combination of reduced diesel reliance, improved fleet performance and declining outages as evidence that its Generation Recovery Plan is delivering cost savings and greater reliability for households and businesses.

Outlook

Eskom said its operational recovery is firmly on track and highlighted the recent data as indicative of strengthened energy security. The company reiterated its timeline for eradicating load reduction across remaining provinces by 2027.