Latest news with #EnergyAvailabilityFactor
The Citizen
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom system remains stable as winter demand peak approaches
This comes as the power system shows sustained reductions in unplanned outages while effectively managing winter electricity requirements. South Africa's power system continues to operate reliably as the country navigates the winter electricity demand period, with Eskom maintaining grid stability without load shedding for more than two months. The utility announced on Friday, 25 July 2025, that 3,960MW of generation capacity will return to service ahead of Monday evening's peak demand period to further strengthen grid stability. This comes as the power system shows sustained reductions in unplanned outages while effectively managing winter electricity requirements. No Eskom load shedding since mid-May Eskom has not implemented load shedding since 15 May 2025, recording only 26 hours of power cuts between 1 April and 24 July 2025. The achievement marks a significant improvement in system reliability during the critical winter period. 'With 37 days of Eskom's Winter Outlook period still remaining, the system remains well-positioned to maintain stability and meet demand effectively,' the utility stated. As of Friday, unplanned outages stood at 11,695MW while available generation capacity reached 30,236MW. Friday's electricity demand was expected to reach 27,715MW, with current capacity sufficient to meet both daily requirements and anticipated weekend demand. ALSO READ: No fines or penalties over Koeberg delays, Eskom says Eskom system performance shows improvement During the week of 18 to 24 July 2025, planned maintenance averaged 5,050MW. The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ranged between 62% and 66% over the same period, with the month-to-date average increasing to 63.11%. 'To further strengthen grid stability, Eskom is planning to return a total of 3,960MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 28 July 2025, and throughout the coming week,' the utility confirmed. The Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF), which measures generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages, decreased to 28.99% between 1 April and 24 July 2025. This represents a reduction of approximately 0.5% compared to the previous week, though it remains about 2.4% higher than the 26.60% recorded during the same period last year. As of 24 July, the UCLF stood at 23.79%, indicating notable performance improvements. ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni mayor to suspend electricity tariff hike after protests in Thembisa Reduced reliance on emergency generation According to Eskom, the open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased significantly this week to 1.86%, down from 8.6% recorded during the previous week of 11 to 17 July 2025. This reduction indicates a decrease in reliance on expensive emergency generation. 'From 1 April to 24 July 2025, diesel spend remains within the budget allocated for 1 April to 31 July 2025,' Eskom said. Eskom winter outlook remains valid The utility's Winter Outlook, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains unchanged. The outlook suggests that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages remain below 13 000 MW. 'It indicates that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13,000MW. If outages rise to 15,000MW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to Stage 2,' the utility explained. ALSO READ: Nersa's mistakes will hit you hard Diesel spend correction Eskom issued a correction regarding diesel expenditure figures published in the previous week's Power Alert. 'We identified a discrepancy in the reported diesel amount. The actual diesel spend should have been R5.554 billion, not R5.897 billion as stated,' the utility corrected. The utility explained that the figure 5,897 was actually the R/MWh rate and was mistakenly captured as total spend instead of the per-unit cost. 'This regretfully resulted in an inadvertent overstatement of the diesel spend, which we hereby correct.' ALSO READ: Load shedding: Hiccup in Eskom's power plans For the week of 18 to 24 July 2025, unplanned outages averaged 11 555MW. This represents a decrease from the previous week but remains 1 077MW higher than the same period last year and 1,445MW below the base case estimate of 13 000MW. According to Eskom, for the financial year-to-date, planned maintenance has averaged 5 221MW, representing 11.11% of total generation capacity. This reflects a decrease from the previous week but shows a 0.7% increase compared to the same period last year. 'The year-to-date EAF stands at 59.42%, excluding the 720MW contribution from Kusile Unit 6, which has been supplying electricity to the national grid since 23 March 2025, although not yet in commercial operation,' Eskom reported. This figure remains below the 62.42% recorded during the same period last year, mainly due to a 2.4% increase in unplanned maintenance compared to the previous year. ALSO READ: City Power denies claims its headquarters raided by Hawks Fuel costs and generation output Between 1 April and 24 July 2025, Eskom spent R5.616 billion on fuel for its OCT plants, generating 952.41GWh of electricity. This output significantly exceeds the 493.16GWh generated during the same timeframe last year. The year-to-date load factor for OCTs has marginally decreased to 10.11%, reflecting a 0.53% decrease compared to the previous week. However, this figure remains substantially higher than the 5.23% recorded during the same period last year. Customer advisory on infrastructure protection With load shedding suspended and electricity demand rising during winter, Eskom has urged customers to act responsibly to help safeguard the power system. The utility highlighted concerns about illegal connections and meter bypassing, which constitute theft and strain the network infrastructure. These activities often lead to transformer overloads, equipment damage, and in severe cases, explosions and extended outages. 'To protect critical infrastructure, Eskom is compelled to implement load reduction by switching off lower during peak hours in high-risk, isolated areas to prevent potential damage. 'To help maintain a stable and uninterrupted electricity supply, customers are strongly urged to avoid bypassing meters and refrain from illegal connections. Electricity should be purchased only through Eskom-accredited vendors, and users are encouraged to regularise their electricity usage,' the utility advised. 'These steps are essential to ensuring safe, reliable, and fair access to electricity for all. Eligible households are encouraged to register for free basic electricity with their local municipalities,' Eskom added. The utility will provide its next update on Friday, 1 August 2025, or communicate significant changes as they occur. READ NEXT: Get your blankets out: Double cold snap to hit Gauteng this week
The Citizen
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom warns against illegal connections as power system remains stable
As the power system operates reliably with reduced unplanned outages, Eskom says an additional 3 330 megawatts (MW) of capacity is expected to return today. SA News reports that, according to Eskom, the power system is showing ongoing resilience in meeting winter electricity demand. 'This sustained performance is largely due to ongoing structural improvements in the generation fleet. Since May 15, there has been no load-shedding, with only 26 hours recorded between April 1 and July 17. 'With 44 days of Eskom's winter outlook period still remaining, the system remains well-positioned to maintain stability and meet demand effectively. 'When occasional system constraints arise, they are effectively managed through the strategic deployment of emergency reserves during morning and evening peak periods,' Eskom said on Friday. Lower diesel usage and outages From April 1 and July 17, diesel consumption was 48.4% lower compared to the same period in 2024 and remains within the budget allocated for April 1 to July 31, helping maintain operational efficiency when needed. As of Friday, unplanned outages reduced to 10 846MW, while available generation capacity was at 31 818MW. 'During the week of July 11 to 17, planned maintenance averaged 4 467MW. Over the same period, the Energy Availability Factor ranged between 60% and 65%, with the month-to-date average further increasing to 62.31%. 'To further strengthen grid stability, Eskom is planning to return a total of 3 330MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on July 21, and throughout the coming week,' the power utility said. Encouraging responsible electricity use SA News reports that Eskom has encouraged all South Africans to use electricity efficiently throughout the rest of winter and to avoid illegal connections as well as meter bypassing. 'With load-shedding suspended and electricity demand rising during the winter period, Eskom has urged all customers to act responsibly and help safeguard the power system,' the utility said. Illegal connections and meter bypassing not only constitute theft but also place immense strain on the network, often leading to transformer overloads, equipment damage, and in severe cases, explosions and extended outages. 'To protect critical infrastructure, Eskom is compelled to implement load reduction by switching off power during peak hours in high-risk, isolated areas to prevent potential damage. 'To help maintain a stable and uninterrupted electricity supply, customers are strongly urged to avoid bypassing meters and refrain from illegal connections,' Eskom said. Electricity should be purchased only through Eskom-accredited vendors, and users are encouraged to regularise their electricity usage. 'These steps are essential to ensuring safe, reliable, and fair access to electricity for all. Eligible households are encouraged to register for free basic electricity with their local municipalities,' Eskom said. The public has been urged to report any illegal activity impacting Eskom's infrastructure by contacting the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp on 081 333 3323. To help manage household electricity consumption, Eskom customers are encouraged to use the Eskom Residential Calculator, a convenient tool for tracking and optimising energy usage: Eskom Residential Calculator Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
20-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
Eskom has GOOD news for South Africans scared of the dark
As the power system is operating reliably with reduced unplanned outages, Eskom says an additional 3 330 megawatts (MW) capacity is expected to return by Monday. According to Eskom, the power system is showing ongoing resilience in meeting the winter electricity demand. 'This sustained performance is largely due to ongoing structural improvements in the generation fleet. Since 15 May 2025, there has been no load shedding, with only 26 hours recorded between 1 April and 17 July 2025. 'With 44 days of Eskom's winter outlook period still remaining, the system remains well-positioned to maintain stability and meet demand effectively. 'When occasional system constraints arise, they are effectively managed through the strategic deployment of emergency reserves during morning and evening peak periods,' Eskom said. Remains within the budget From 1 April to 17 July 2025, diesel consumption was at 48.4% lower compared to the same period in the 2024 financial year and remains within the budget allocated for 1 April to 31 July 2025, helping maintain operational efficiency when needed. As of Friday, unplanned outages reduced to 10 846MW, while available generation capacity was at 31 818MW. 'During the week of 11 to 17 July 2025, planned maintenance averaged 4 467MW. Over the same period, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ranged between 60% and 65%, with the month-to-date average further increasing to 62.31%. 'To further strengthen grid stability, Eskom is planning to return a total of 3 330MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 21 July 2025, and throughout the coming week,' the power utility said. Between 1 April and 17 July 2025, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF), which indicates the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unexpected outages, stood at 29.53%. This is about 2.6% higher than the 26.95% recorded during the same period last year. As of Friday, the UCLF was at 23.35% reflecting improved performance. 'The open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased this week, reaching 8.60%, down from the 11.92% recorded during the previous week (4 to 10 July 2025). This indicates less reliance on OCGTs. 'The Winter Outlook, published on 5 May 2025, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. 'It indicates that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. 'If outages rise to 15 000MW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to Stage 2,' the power utility explained. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Is South Africa's solar energy growth hindered by outdated regulations?
According to GoSolr paper, regulations are hindering the growth of solar installations in the country. Image: Pexels South Africa's solar energy sector is growing steadily, but not nearly fast enough to keep up with demand or the worsening national energy crisis. This is according to a 14-page GoSolr Light Paper – June 2025, that highlighted findings on solar energy in the country. The paper reported that 137,000 homes in South Africa have already installed solar systems, with 1,000 new installations per month. But instead of being supported and encouraged, solar users are being penalised through high fixed fees, forced time-of-use tariffs, and inconsistent municipal regulations. 'We're still facing an energy crisis — Eskom can't produce all we need. Yet instead of encouraging solar, the system is actively placing hurdles in people's way,' the report warns. One of the key issues raised is the tariff structures imposed by certain municipalities. This is most notable in Johannesburg. While prepaid customers in Joburg pay a fixed monthly fee of R423, solar users on postpaid systems are being forced onto time-of-use billing with fixed fees as high as R1,615 per month, and no real ability to feed power back into the grid. Cape Town allows prepaid solar users to remain on simpler billing plans and offers a feed-in tariff of R1.16/kWh, plus an incentive of R0.29/kWh. The paper outlined how solar installation rules vary across municipalities. It noted that national requirements demand certified electricians and engineer sign-offs, but many municipalities go further, requiring extra application fees, tariff changes, and meter upgrades. 'The result is a complex, fragmented, and expensive process that deters many households and small businesses from going solar,' says GoSolr. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Even with Eskom waiving solar application fees until March 2026, the paper argues this must become permanent, and be backed by a single national policy framework to simplify compliance. South Africa's Energy Availability Factor (EAF) from Eskom remains low at 57.3%, far below the 70% target — raising fears of worsening load shedding during winter. Yet instead of scaling solar as a relief valve, the country is bogged down by policy gridlock. 'We are over-regulated and underperforming,' the paper states. 'It's time to stop faffing around with regulations and start doing.' GoSolr proposes five urgent actions: Free consumer tariff choice – no forced billing models. Review and reduce import tariffs for solar components. Implement a national solar framework that streamlines installation rules. Scrap excessive registration/compliance costs. Allow all producers — large and small — to feed energy into the grid. The findings were publicised after Eskom strongly rejected false claims circulating online about imminent stage 4 and stage 6 loadshedding from July 6 until July 20. The power utility stated the country's power system remains stable with loadshedding suspended since 10pm on 15 May 2025. "The Winter Outlook, published on 5 May 2025, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. It indicates that loadshedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. If outages rise to 15 000MW, loadshedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to Stage 2. There are no planned outages of this scale. Misinformation causes unnecessary alarm. Stay informed—trust only official Eskom updates on our official platforms," the power utility said. IOL NEWS
IOL News
30-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Eskom adapts to winter demand spikes with strategic generation recovery plan
Eskom's Generation Recovery Plan is underway, aiming to restore a total of 2 450MW of generation capacity before the evening peak on Monday, 30 June 2025, in a proactive move to enhance grid reliability. Image: Bhekikhaya Mabaso/Independent Newspapers Eskom announced on Friday that its power system has demonstrated stability, effectively managing increased electricity demand as South Africa experiences a cold snap. The utility reported that while occasional system constraints arise, strategic deployment of sufficient emergency reserves helps meet peak demands during critical morning and evening hours. Eskom's Generation Recovery Plan is underway, aiming to restore a total of 2 450MW of generation capacity before the evening peak on Monday, 30 June 2025, in a proactive move to enhance grid reliability. From the week of 20 to 26 June, Eskom said planned maintenance efforts have averaged 3 789MW, marking a decline in planned outages. Concurrently, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) fluctuated between 60% and 64%, ultimately resulting in a month-to-date average of 60.61%. However, Eskom faces challenges as the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF) stands at 29.36% for the current financial year, reflecting a worrying increase from last year's 27.25%. The uptick in unplanned outages can be partly attributed to delays in returning units from maintenance, specifically the 800MW from Medupi Unit 4, which has not yet been brought back online. At present, unplanned outages total 15 137MW, with the 800MW from Medupi impacting the available generation capacity of 30 703MW. This figure notably excludes the 720MW from Kusile Unit 6, which, although not yet fully operational, has been supplying power to the national grid since 23 March 2025. Nevertheless, this combined generation capacity positioned Eskom well to meet Friday night's anticipated peak demand of 28 810MW. Recent statistics revealed a decline in the year-to-date load factor for open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs), which now stands at 11.37%, reflecting a slight dip from the previous week. Despite this reduction, the load factor remained strong when compared to 6.21% during the same timeframe last year. Diesel usage is projected to decrease as more units return to service from long-term repairs, thereby bolstering generation capacity. Eskom said the Winter Outlook, released on 5 May 2025, continues to stand valid, indicating that load shedding might be averted if unplanned outages remain below 13 000MW. It said should outages rise to 15 000MW, any necessitated load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days over 153 days, confined to Stage 2. Key performance indicators revealed that during the week of 20 to 26 June, unplanned outages averaged 14 696MW—an increase of 2 815MW from last year and above the base case estimate of 13 000MW by 1 696MW. This escalation largely stems from the ongoing situation with Medupi Unit 4, which was initially anticipated to return to service by 30 May 2025. Meanwhile, planned maintenance for the financial year-to-date has averaged at 5 481MW, accounting for 11.67% of total generation capacity, albeit representing a slight decrease from the previous week. Year-to-date, the EAF has observed a noticeable upward trend, reaching 58.47%. However, this remains below the 61.19% recorded during the same period last year, primarily due to an increase in unplanned maintenance of 2.1%. Furthermore, Eskom's financial commitment to fuel for the OCGT fleet has risen to approximately R4.76 billion, generating 810.24GWh, in contrast to 442.65GWh from the previous year; still within the budget for the current financial year. As the utility now faces the winter months, Eskom has issued a strong reminder urging the public to refrain from illegal connections and energy theft. Such practices lead to transformer overloads and significant equipment failures, jeopardising the stability of the electricity network. Citizens are encouraged to solely purchase electricity from Eskom-accredited vendors and report any illegal activities impacting Eskom's infrastructure to the Crime Line. In the spirit of energy efficiency, Eskom urged consumers to manage their electricity consumption wisely this winter, employing tools like the Eskom Residential Calculator to track and optimise usage effectively. Eskom plans to provide another update on the situation by Friday, 4 July 2025, or earlier should any significant changes arise. BUSINESS REPORT
