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.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation