Eskom announced that Kusile Unit 3 is back in operation after being offline since December 22, 2024.
Kusile Unit 3 returns to service
The unit was shut down for maintenance and repairs, including the reinstatement of its main exhaust system, which was damaged in 2022.
In a statement, the power utility explained that this development is part of Eskom’s ongoing efforts to stabilise electricity generation.
The return of Kusile Unit 3 follows a weekend of stage 3 loadshedding, which was suspended on Sunday morning after emergency power reserves were replenished.
Eskom confirmed that five coal-fired generation units were also brought back online, adding nearly 3,000 megawatts to the grid.
Another 2,400 megawatts is expected to be restored in the coming days.
Units 2 and 1 at Kusile are scheduled to return on 26 March and 25 June 2025, respectively.
What’s the likelihood of loadshedding this month?
Eskom says loadshedding should remain low for now, barring unexpected breakdowns. The company’s summer electricity plan remains unchanged, with maintenance outages continuing in preparation for winter.
Unplanned outages are currently at just over 13,000 megawatts, but Eskom reports a downward trend.
At the same time, planned maintenance is affecting around 6,300 megawatts of capacity. With available electricity supply sitting at nearly 28,000 megawatts and peak demand forecast at 24,500 megawatts, Eskom expects to meet power needs without major disruptions.
However, the company has warned that some communities may still experience power outages due to illegal connections, vandalism, and theft of infrastructure, which put additional strain on the system.
While the return of Kusile Unit 3 and other power plants has improved supply, Eskom will provide another update on Friday, 7 February 2025 or sooner if there are any major changes.
