At the stroke of midnight on 22nd January 2025, Eskom is set to mark 300 days free from load shedding, a feat last observed in June 2018. The utility attributes its enhanced performance to the Energy Action Plan, initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2022, and the execution of its Generation Recovery Plan. Eskom has reported a notable reduction in diesel expenditure, achieving a year-on-year saving of R16.42 billion, approximately 62.9% less than the previous year's R26.09 billion, owing to the diligent implementation of the Generation Operational Recovery plan.
Eskom's summer forecast, spanning from 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2025, anticipates a load-shedding-free season, supported by structural enhancements in a generation. The utility highlights key performance metrics, including an average of 12,040MW in unplanned outages, below the summer base case threshold of 13,000MW, and a current unplanned outage figure of 12,566MW against an available generation capacity of 28,145MW. Furthermore, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF) has improved to 25.22% for the financial year-to-date, reflecting a 7.6% enhancement from the previous year. Eskom continues its strategic maintenance and utilization of peaking stations to ensure reliability and manage peak demand.
Recent executive appointments include Dr. Candice Hartley as Chief People Officer and Rivoningo Mnisi as Group Executive for Renewables. Hartley, with a background in Human Resources at KPMG South Africa, is tasked with aligning Eskom's human capital practices with its strategic objectives. Mnisi, formerly of Exxaro, is set to lead Eskom's renewable energy initiatives, aiming to operationalize at least 2GW of clean energy projects by 2026 and advance a pipeline exceeding 20GW to diversify the energy mix and reduce emissions.
Source: SA News