Eskom adds more power to electricity grid as G20 summit approaches
Eskom says it is planning to return more power to the electricity grid on Monday, with the country relishing the euphoric experience of no load shedding for more than two months.
The parastatal shared an update on its efforts to mitigate the rolling blackouts, which have been welcomed by South Africans.
Energy Availability
With just over 100 days until the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November, Eskom will hope its efforts will not embarrass the country as world leaders arrive.
Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the power system continues to operate reliably, supported by an improved Energy Availability Factor (EAF).
'The generation fleet continues to show ongoing solid momentum, with over half (57%) of Eskom's fourteen coal-fired power stations now operating at an EAF above 70%, including three stations performing at a notable performance of more than 90%. An additional four stations are operating above 60%, reflecting the fleet's growing stability and improved reliability,' Mokwena said.
ALSO READ: Is Joburg ready to host G20? Gauteng on frenzy to repair potholes and streetlights [VIDEO]
'Since 15 May 2025, there has been no load shedding, with load shedding only implemented for 26 hours recorded between 1 April and 31 July 2025,' Mokwena said.
'To further strengthen grid stability, Eskom is planning to return a total of 3 075MW of generation capacity to service ahead of the evening peak on Monday, 4 August 2025, and throughout the coming week,' she said.
Winter outlook
Mokwena said between 1 April and 31 July 2025, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor (UCLF), which reflects the percentage of generation capacity lost due to unplanned outages, further decreased to 28.58%.
'This represents a week-on-week improvement of approximately 0.4%, although it remains about 2.3% higher than the 26.28% recorded during the same period last year.
'The Winter Outlook, published on 5 May 2025, covering the period ending 31 August 2025, remains valid. It indicates that load shedding will not be necessary if unplanned outages stay below 13 000MW. If outages rise to 15 000MW, load shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days out of 153 days and restricted to stage 2,' Mokwena said.
Eskom has encouraged all South Africans to use electricity efficiently throughout the winter season.
ALSO READ: Eskom hammers another nail in load shedding coffin
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Eskom faces R1 billion damages for cancelling steam generator contract
Nicola Mawson | Published 1 week ago Eskom has been ordered to pay nearly R1 billion to French nuclear contractor Framatome after the Western Cape High Court ruled that the utility refused to pay damages for cancelling a contract to install steam generators at Koeberg nuclear power station. This ruling stems from a 2014 agreement originally made with Areva, which was later ceded to Framatome, covering the design, manufacture, and installation of six replacement steam generators—three for each unit at Koeberg. Framatome, which has been in operation for 60 years, was contracted to supply and install two sets of three replacement steam generators, one set to be installed in each of the reactor buildings at units 1 and 2 at Koeberg during separate planned outages of these units. These installations were meant to take place during a scheduled maintenance outage, which kept getting postponed. Two months after the outage was finally scheduled to happen, 'Eskom informed Framatome that it would not be continuing with the steam generator replacement,' the judgement said. As a result of the cancellation of the deal, Eskom's project manager 'acknowledged that Eskom's decision to postpone the work constituted a compensation event,' the judgment read. Although the project manager had acknowledged that Eskom's cancellation triggered compensation, he determined that the value of compensation was nil. The entire matter then went to arbitration, where the adjudicator ordered that Eskom must pay compensation for cancelling the contract, including for storing equipment, as well as implementation activities, which work had been wasted by Eskom delaying the date of the planned maintenance outage. After some back and forth between the parties and the adjudicator, during which the parties didn't agree on costs, 'Eskom made it clear that it had no intention of providing the adjudicator with any further information or participating any further in the adjudication process,' the ruling read. As a result, the adjudicator issued a determination of the damages amount, and Eskom decided to take the issue to the Western Cape High Court, arguing that the amount in damages was not determined by the date it was due – voiding his determination. In defending Eskom's legal action, Framatome argued that none of the arbitration proceedings were improper, nor was the adjudicator abusing his power. The Judge ruled that 'there is no basis to set aside the decisions of the adjudicator which are valid and binding. In terms of the parties' contract Eskom was obliged to comply therewith.' Eskom, it found, had to comply with its contractual obligations. The court found that Framatome was entitled to the full amount it sought. In addition to the R1bn payment, Eskom had to pay interest and costs. Cape Argus
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
No deposit or credit card: New township travel pilot opens up holidays for South Africans
A new township-based travel initiative is aiming to make local holidays more accessible to South Africans who have traditionally been excluded Image: Supplied A new township-based travel initiative is aiming to make local holidays more accessible to South Africans who have traditionally been excluded from resort travel due to financial barriers. Launched by Dream Hotels & Resorts in partnership with TUU Post, the pilot allows residents in Soweto, Alexandra and Katlehong to book curated holidays directly from local stores, without needing credit cards or large upfront payments. Using stokvel contributions, flexible instalment options, and lay-by systems, the initiative is designed to accommodate a broader range of household budgets while supporting community-based businesses acting as booking agents. According to Clyde Keevy, head of leisure sales at Dream Hotels & Resorts, the company is looking to grow its footprint across more communities in the country to further expand access to affordable local travel. 'We've created a model that allows South Africans in every corner of the country to enjoy their own land in the style and comfort synonymous with a Dream Hotels & Resorts experience,' Keevy said. 'Residents can walk into a local business and book a getaway without needing a credit card, long-term contract or a big upfront deposit, which makes all the difference for households managing tight budgets.' The pilot is built on Dream Escapes, a "flexible, month-to-month vacation product that allows customers to accumulate travel credits over time, without the need for credit checks or binding contracts". Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "With more than R50 billion estimated to circulate annually through stokvels in South Africa, the culture of saving collectively and planning as a group aligns well with the Dream Escapes philosophy" One of the first resorts onboard is the Blue Marlin All Inclusive Seascape in KwaZulu-Natal, offering bundled packages that include accommodation, meals and selected activities. A lay-by-style payment option, launched in partnership with LayUp, allows travellers to pay in smaller, interest-free instalments. "While the township travel pilot initiative is still in early days, it's informed by insights from the repositioning of Blue Marlin, which was designed to attract younger, experience-hungry South Africans who are prioritising comfort, entertainment and value over high-end exclusivity." IOL Business Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
IOL News
5 hours ago
- IOL News
How to handle a SARS letter of demand before it's too late
South Africans who receive a SARS Letter of Demand are being urged to act fast Image: GCIS South Africans who receive a SARS Letter of Demand are being urged to act, as ignoring it could lead to frozen bank accounts, garnished salaries, or even court judgments. A letter of demand is a formal legal notice issued when SARS believes you owe outstanding tax. This could be due to incorrect IRP5s, unreported income, penalties, or reversed refunds following an audit. Tax experts warn that many individuals only become aware of these legal notices once enforcement has already begun, often because the letters are uploaded quietly to eFiling and easily missed. They urge taxpayers to ensure their contact information is updated to receive timely notifications. 'Unfortunately, many taxpayers only realise they've received this when their bank account is already frozen or their salary garnished. At that stage, it's very serious, but you can still solve the problem by acting immediately," Razael Manikus, COO at Latita Africa, said. According to Manikus, even in these critical moments, taxpayers still have options. "Log into your SARS eFiling profile to check the date when the letter of demand was issued (under 'Correspondence'). That's the start of your 10-business-day response window". Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He advises taxpayers to 'review your statement of account to identify the source of your debt and the tax period involved. If the amount is correct and you're able to pay, do this immediately. Use the payment reference number on the letter to pay SARS.' However, Manikus also warned taxpayers against ignoring the revenue service's letter, saying that "SARS can, without further warning, deduct money from your income via garnishee orders to your employer or clients". "The Revenue Service can also attach your bank funds, withhold tax clearances and refunds, and get a court judgment that will blemish your credit record. In cases of repeat non-compliance, SARS can even refer you to the National Prosecuting Authority" If immediate payment isn't possible, Manikus says taxpayers can apply for a suspension of payment through eFiling. This pauses SARS's ability to collect while the matter is being resolved. "If you accept your debt but can't pay in full, SARS may agree to a deferred payment plan with instalments. Or you could negotiate a compromise of tax debt, where SARS reduces your debt if the full payment would cause you financial hardship. "You believe the assessment is wrong, lodge a formal notice of objection on eFiling. You have 30 business days from the original assessment. Clearly explain the reason for your objection, and attach supporting documentation (such as invoices, proof of payments, or bank statements)". IOL Business Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
