Latest news with #WinterOutlook
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom: Winter outlook remains positive
Eskom says the power system continues to operate reliably, showing ongoing resilience in effectively meeting winter electricity demand. 'When occasional system constraints arise, they are effectively managed through the strategic deployment of emergency reserves during morning and evening peak periods,' the power utility said on Friday. Since May 15, there has been no loadshedding, with only 26 hours recorded between April 1 and July 24. With 37 days of Eskom's Winter Outlook period still remaining, Eskom said the system remains well-positioned to maintain stability and meet demand effectively. 'As of today [Friday], unplanned outages are at 11 695MW and the available generation capacity is 30 236MW. Tonight's electricity demand is expected to reach 27 715MW. The current capacity is sufficient to meet both today's demand and anticipated requirements over the weekend. 'During the week of July 18 to 24, planned maintenance averaged 5 050MW. Over the same period, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ranged between 62% and 66%, with the month-to-date average further increasing to 63.11%,' Eskom said. 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, July 28, and throughout the coming week. Between April 1 and July 24, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF), which measures the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages, decreased to 28.99%. This marks a reduction of an ~0.5% compared to the previous week but remains about 2.4% higher than the 26.60% recorded during the same period last year. 'As of Thursday, the UCLF stood at 23.79%, consistently indicating a notable improvement in performance. The open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased this week, reaching 1.86%, down from the 8.6% recorded during the previous week ( 11 to 17 July). This indicates less reliance on OCGTs,' Eskom said. From April 1 to July 24, diesel spend remains within the budget allocated for April 1 to July 31. 'The Winter Outlook, published on May 5, covering the period ending August 31, 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,' Eskom said. The power utility has encouraged all South Africans to use electricity efficiently throughout the winter season. 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:
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Power system continues to meet winter demand
Eskom says the power system continues to operate reliably, showing ongoing resilience in effectively meeting winter electricity demand. 'When occasional system constraints arise, they are effectively managed through the strategic deployment of emergency reserves during morning and evening peak periods,' the power utility said on Friday. Since May 15, there has been no loadshedding, with only 26 hours recorded between April 1 and July 24. With 37 days of Eskom's Winter Outlook period still remaining, Eskom said the system remains well-positioned to maintain stability and meet demand effectively. 'As of today [Friday], unplanned outages are at 11 695MW and the available generation capacity is 30 236MW. Tonight's electricity demand is expected to reach 27 715MW. The current capacity is sufficient to meet both today's demand and anticipated requirements over the weekend. 'During the week of July 18 to 24, planned maintenance averaged 5 050MW. Over the same period, the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ranged between 62% and 66%, with the month-to-date average further increasing to 63.11%,' Eskom said. 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, July 28, and throughout the coming week. Between April 1 and July 24, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF), which measures the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages, decreased to 28.99%. This marks a reduction of an ~0.5% compared to the previous week but remains about 2.4% higher than the 26.60% recorded during the same period last year. 'As of Thursday, the UCLF stood at 23.79%, consistently indicating a notable improvement in performance. The open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) load factor decreased this week, reaching 1.86%, down from the 8.6% recorded during the previous week ( 11 to 17 July). This indicates less reliance on OCGTs,' Eskom said. From April 1 to July 24, diesel spend remains within the budget allocated for April 1 to July 31. 'The Winter Outlook, published on May 5, covering the period ending August 31, 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,' Eskom said. The power utility has encouraged all South Africans to use electricity efficiently throughout the winter season. 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:
The Citizen
4 days 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 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.
The Star
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Eskom dismisses false claims of imminent load shedding in July
Siyabonga Sithole | Published 2 weeks ago Eskom has strongly rejected false claims circulating online about imminent stage 4 and stage 6 loadshedding from 6 July until 20 July with the power utility saying the country's power system remains stable with loadshedding suspended since 10pm 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. This past week, electricity and energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said municipalities with a combined debt of over R100 billion have not been able to reduce the amounts they owe to Eskom. The minister added that the ongoing challenges could result in the total collapse of the South African electricity complex. The minister described Eskom's challenge of supplying electricity but being unable to collect revenue as an 'existential problem'. 'They are spending money they must collect from the bulk consumer, and where they are reticulating. They are finding it difficult to collect, so they're unable to reinvest back into their asset base. It's going to result in, if not managed, a total collapse of the electricity complex in the country," Ramokgopa said. On Friday, Eskom revealed that despite the high unplanned outages and severe weather conditions in parts of South Africa, the available generation capacity was enough to meet peak demand. The power utility also revealed that for the week of 20 to 26 June 2025, unplanned outages averaged 14 696MW, exceeding last year's figure by 2 815MW and the base case estimate of 13 000MW by 1 696MW. It said the increase was largely due to Medupi Unit 4, which has been offline since August 2021 and was scheduled to return on 30 May 2025. The delay in its return was factored into the unplanned outage calculations from 1 June 2025, adding 800MW. Year-to-date, average unplanned outages stand at 14 031MW. [email protected]
