Eskom announced that loadshedding remains suspended until further notice, marking 65 consecutive days without power cuts.
Also read: Eskom clears the air on loadshedding rumours
This prolonged break surpasses the previous record set between 5 December 2021 and 2 February 2022.
In a statement, the power utility attributed the positive development to the ongoing structural improvements in the reliability of its generation fleet and planned maintenance efforts facilitated by the Generation Operational Recovery Plan initiated in March 2023.
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According to Eskom, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) decreased to 28.37% in the financial year to date (1 April 2024 to 30 May 2024). This is a reduction of 35.5% recorded the same time last year.
It also represents a 7.5% improvement in the current financial year as compared to the previous.
Furthermore, Eskom’s Sustained Energy Availability Factor (EAF) improved to 61%, a major spike from last year’s 8.3% increase which brought it to 52.7%. This indicates that more of Eskom’s power-generating equipment is up and running, as the EAF improvement is primarily due to a drop in ‘unplanned outages of the generation units which averaged at 12 500MW during May 2024’, the utility said.
It added that the use of open-cycle gas turbines (OCGT) remains lower compared to the same period over the past two years.
The power utility spent R1.52 billion on OCGTs from 1 April 2024 to 30 May 2024, resulting in the production of 221.01GWh. This is 79% less than last year, when the company spent R7.1 billion to produce 1 159.8GWh.
The OCGT load factor for 1 May to 30 May stands at 2.18%, compared to last year’s 28.05%.
Eskom further added that its generation performance surpassed its winter forecast for this year. The winter forecast anticipated a likely scenario of unplanned outages at 15 500MW and loadshedding limited to Stage 2.
View the full report here.
Currently, unplanned outages average at 12 500MW – 3 000MW less than anticipated.
The company plans to return 3 500MW of generating capacity to service by Monday, 3 June 2024.
The power utility also appealed to the public to continue using electricity sparingly and efficiently in light of the colder weather. It advises households to switch off geysers and pool pumps between 5pm and 9pm, which helps lowers demand and alleviate pressure on the power system.
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Also read:
South Africa’s power improves but winter loadshedding risk remains
Picture: Dekeister Leopold / Unsplash
