South Africa’s electricity supply has remained largely stable for more than seven months, with limited load shedding recorded during the current financial year, state-owned utility Eskom said on Friday.
In a statement, Eskom said the country has gone 231 consecutive days without prolonged power cuts, marking one of the longest periods of sustained grid stability in recent years.
The utility reported just 26 hours of load shedding in April and May, attributing the interruptions to short-term generation constraints.
Eskom said it plans to bring 5,585 megawatts of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak on January 5, 2026, as part of efforts to maintain system stability.
The improved performance follows progress under Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan, including increased planned maintenance, higher energy availability and tighter operational discipline.
Unplanned outages have declined compared with previous years, allowing operators to better manage demand during periods of high consumption, Eskom said.
Despite the gains, Eskom cautioned that the power system remains vulnerable and called for continued energy-saving measures.
The utility said festive-season weather led to a 40% rise in distribution faults compared with last year, leaving some communities temporarily without power.
While supply has been restored in most areas, repairs continue in locations with severely damaged infrastructure.
Eskom also warned that illegal connections and meter tampering continue to pose safety risks and undermine the stability of the electricity network.