NATIONAL NEWS - Eskom’s load reduction eradication campaign has now reached more than half of its intended targets, with more than 880 000 households returned to normal supply.
The power utility launched a phased programme to eliminate load reduction by 2027.
“About 886 717 customers across South Africa are no longer impacted, representing about 52% of targeted households, with full elimination achieved in the Northern and Western Cape.
“The programme targets 971 feeders and will benefit approximately 1.69 million customers across all provinces, out of Eskom’s total customer base of 7.2 million,” Eskom said.
The programme’s key interventions include:
- Rollout of smart meters.
- Integration of Distributed Energy Resources.
- Expansion of Free Basic Electricity (FBE) support.
Eskom has already deployed 1 798 091 smart meters nationwide since inception.
“Of these, 409 011 meters have been installed on load reduction feeders, representing approximately 23% of deployments in high-priority areas.
“This targeted rollout is helping to ease grid pressure, while enabling customers to access real-time consumption data and exercise greater control over their energy usage.
“The rollout is deliberately focused on high-loss areas affected by illegal connections, meter bypassing, overloaded infrastructure and widespread electricity theft,” the power utility said.
Some 484 feeders have been removed from load reduction against Eskom’s planned target of 97, with the bulk of those in Gauteng.
In terms of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) expansion programme, 571 589 customers have been registered.
“The FBE beneficiaries figure fluctuates monthly. The 571 589 figure reflects an 18% increase from the baseline of 485 000 customers and represents about 27% of the 2.1 million eligible customers.
“Eskom calls on communities to report illegal connections, use electricity responsibly, and protect infrastructure. Any illegal activity affecting Eskom’s infrastructure can be reported to the Eskom Crime Line on 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp on 081 333 3323,” Eskom said.
Strong results
Meanwhile, the power utility continues to sustain improvements in the performance of the electricity system, despite increased winter demand.
“Since 16 May 2025, South Africa has recorded 399 consecutive days without interruptions to electricity supply, reflecting 100% system availability in meeting electricity demand.
“Continued gains in energy availability, together with a decline in unplanned outages and targeted network interventions, are reinforcing system stability and supporting consistent electricity supply to customers across the country,” the power utility stated.
Gains in the financial year-to-date include increased Energy Availability Factor, which has risen to 63.54%, a significant increase from the 58.08% recorded over the same period last year.
“This reflects sustained progress under Eskom’s turnaround strategy, including a 9.49% improvement [4.8GW] compared to the same period three years ago.
“These gains are underpinned by reduced unplanned outages and more consistent, reliable performance across the generation fleet,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za
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