In its latest update, issued on Monday evening, 24 March 2025, Eskom warned that while one of the six generation units that went offline has since been restored, the threat of loadshedding looms as the power grid “remains constrained.”
UPDATE: Read the latest updates from Eskom on this story.
Loadshedding schedule today: Monday, 24 March 2025
| Date | 00:00 – 16:00 | 16:00 – 18:25 | 18:25 – 22:00 | 22:00 – 00:00 |
| Monday 24 Mar 25 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tuesday 25 Mar 25 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Wednesday 26 Mar 25 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
City of Cape Town clients operates on a different loadshedding schedule.
Eskom loadshedding: What’s the state of the power system in March 2025?
In a statement, the power utility explained that thus far, the decision to delay rolling blackouts was supported by a stable power system and emergency reserves.
The latest Power Alert shows that Eskom has been maintaining high levels of planned maintenance, averaging 7,032 MW throughout February.
“This is part of efforts to improve fleet reliability in preparation for the high winter demand,” Eskom stated.
Between 1 April 2024, and 27 February 2025, the utility reported that loadshedding had been suspended for 325 days, compared to just 32 days in the same period last year.
Eskom further noted that electricity supply was available 98% of the time, a stark contrast to the 9.6% recorded the previous year.
In its latest update, Eskom also confirmed significant cost savings.
“Year-to-date diesel savings have reached R16.69 billion, which is 55.7% less than the R29.98 billion spent during the same period last year,” the statement read.
Despite the improvements, Eskom acknowledged ongoing unplanned outages, reporting 14,534 MW currently offline.
However, the company reassured South Africans that an additional 3,610 MW is set to return to service by Monday, 3 March 2025.
What happened in February?
Last weekend, Eskom had to implement Stage 6 loadshedding due to unexpected failures at Majuba and Camden power stations. However, after restoring several units, the utility completely suspended loadshedding by Wednesday, 26 February 2025.
Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane addressed the situation, stating:
“We maintain our guidance that loadshedding is largely behind us due to structural improvements in the generation fleet. Our focus remains on eliminating loadshedding as a structural constraint on the economy.”
Electricity Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa also weighed in, profusely apologising for the earlier blackouts.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my most sincere apology for the gross inconvenience and disruption inflicted on households, businesses, and industry as a result of loadshedding experienced over the past three days,” he said.
Eskom reported that its Energy Availability Factor (EAF) had improved significantly, rising from 55.27% to 62.96% over the past six months. Some weeks saw availability exceeding 70%.
What is likely to happen in March?
Eskom has assured the public that it remains committed to stabilising the power grid. However, the utility is still conducting planned maintenance on 6,660 MW of capacity, which could impact electricity availability.
Eskom Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, noted:
“We remain committed to high levels of maintenance, and the results are clear. Our efforts have delivered a 99% electricity availability rate over Eskom’s current financial year, from April 2024 to February 2025, saving approximately R17 billion in diesel costs.”
Experts remain cautious, suggesting that short-term stability does not guarantee long-term reliability. Energy analyst Chris Yelland highlighted potential risks, stating:
“Time and again we are reminded just how intermittent, unreliable, and unpredictable coal-fired power generation is in South Africa. At about 80%, there is far too much coal-fired power in our mix, which is a big risk to the economy.”
With winter approaching, Eskom’s ability to maintain uninterrupted electricity supply will be tested in the coming months. For now, loadshedding remains suspended, but the risk of future power cuts cannot be entirely ruled out.
If loadshedding does return, the utility will provide an official schedule through its Power Alert system.
South Africa follows a staged loadshedding system, which determines the severity of power cuts:
- Stage 1: Up to 1,000MW cut from the grid, resulting in short, infrequent outages.
- Stage 2: Up to 2,000MW cut, leading to longer, more frequent outages.
- Stage 3 to Stage 6: Increasingly severe power cuts, lasting up to four hours at a time.
- Stage 7 and Stage 8: The worst-case scenario, where 50% of the country is without power at any given time.
Eskom electricity prices expected to increase in April 2025
Adding to consumer concerns, NERSA has approved a three-year electricity tariff hike that will see Eskom customers paying significantly more for power from April 2025.
According to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s decision, electricity prices will rise by:
- 12.74% in 2025
- 5.36% in 2026
- 6.19% in 2027
These increases come despite Eskom initially requesting a 36.15% tariff hike for 2025 alone. While the regulator reduced Eskom’s proposed increase, the approved hikes will still place a further strain on households already battling rising living costs.
NERSA stated that the price adjustments aim to balance Eskom’s financial needs with consumer affordability, noting that over 1,200 public objections were submitted before the final decision.