Eskom announced that loadshedding will remain suspended this weekend, marking 212 consecutive days without interruptions since March 2024.
Story Summary:
- Loadshedding will remain suspended over the weekend starting Friday, 25 October 2024.
- Eskom’s ongoing maintenance strategy will keep supply steady, with planned maintenance at 6,591MW.
- Operational efficiency has improved, with unplanned outages reduced significantly over the past week.
- Peak demand for electricity over the weekend is expected to be well-managed, with an additional 4,200MW expected to return to service by Monday evening.
Weekend loadshedding schedule starting Friday, 25 October 2024
The power utility has reported improvements in operational performance, particularly in reducing unplanned outages.
Planned maintenance is set at 6,591MW, aligning with Eskom’s summer maintenance strategy to ensure system reliability ahead of winter 2025.
This maintenance ensures that power stations can continue operating efficiently and meet demand without interruptions.
Here’s a look at the provisional weekend loadshedding schedule starting Friday, 25 October 2024:
| Date | 05:00 – 16:00 | 16:00 – 20:00 | 20:00 – 00:00 | 00:00 – 05:00 |
| Fri 25 Oct 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Sat 26 Oct 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
| Sun 27 Oct 24 | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* | Suspended* |
What is the state of the power system?
Eskom’s operational performance has improved significantly over the past week.
Unplanned outages have decreased, ranging between 10,000MW and 11,800MW, while today’s outages stand at 10,705MW, which is 2,295MW lower than the projected summer base case.
Eskom’s Energy Availability Factor (EAF) averaged 62% over the week, with top-performing stations like Kusile and Majuba maintaining an EAF above 70%.
Eskom stated:
“Our recovery plan continues to improve the reliability of the system, and we are confident in maintaining power supply.”
Will Eskom implement loadshedding this season?
Based on Eskom’s current performance, the likelihood of loadshedding this season remains low.
Eskom’s summer outlook for September 2024 to March 2025 still predicts a loadshedding-free period, driven by ongoing improvements in the power generation fleet.
As operational efficiency continues to improve and maintenance is effectively managed, Eskom is well-positioned to avoid loadshedding through winter.