Eskom anticipates limited winter loadshedding amid generation improvements
Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane unpacks the loadshedding forecast for winter 2024
Newly appointed Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane has provided assurances that loadshedding during the upcoming winter months will likely be contained at Stage 2, thanks to improvements in generation performance across the coal-fired power station fleet.
As of April 26, Eskom has marked 30 consecutive days without loadshedding, which Marokane said on Friday was a “good moment” to reflect on. He attributed the achievement to the success of the generation recovery plan (GRP) implemented by the State-owned power utility since April 2023.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, Eskom recorded a 9% year-on-year reduction in unplanned losses and a 19% decrease in unit trips.
In addition to the no-loadshedding trend in April, Eskom’s diesel spend averages 50% lower compared with the same time last year.
The current load factor of 9% compares with a load factor of 18% in April last year.
Marokane pointed out a considerable shift in the unreliability outlook, with a downward revision of 1 000 MW in the base case scenario.
Eskom targets a further reduction of 1.7 GW in unplanned losses during winter, while intensifying efforts in demand management initiatives.
Reflecting on Eskom’s efforts since the previous winter, Marokane said the utility’s investment in maintenance and disciplined execution of the GRP had resulted in a gradual reduction in unplanned losses.
However, he said the current unplanned losses of 14.2 GW were still unsustainable. Eskom aims to reduce load losses to below 14 GW to ensure greater stability in power supply.
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