Is it working?

Improving planned maintenance has reduced unplanned breakdowns and helped limit load shedding - with Eskom achieving 365 days without load shedding for the first time in eight years on 16 May 2026.
The energy availability factor improved from 54.56% in 2023/24 to 65.16% in 2025/26.
Unplanned outages declined from 32% to 23% over the same period, reflecting improved plant reliability.

Actions

Eskom has taken measures to contain maintenance operations within prescribed timelines, and avoid outage slips that contributed to load shedding in winter 2025.
Most of the Generation Recovery Plan objectives have been met; the focus is now on sustaining the recovery and addressing load reduction.

Are there plans?

Eskom's plan is to sustain recoveries.
Its focus will turn to the transition of the power system such as making decisions around phasing the shutting down of coal power stations and repowering and repurposing to support lower emissions and a just transition. It indicated a decision will be made between 1 July and 30 September 2026.

Is it on the agenda?

Increasing planned maintenance is part of the energy action plan developed by the National Electricity Crisis Committee and will help Eskom achieve an energy availability factor (EAF) of 70%.

Goals

The planned maintenance programme, one of the objectives of the energy action plan, aimed to achieve a higher energy availability factor.

References

• Reference Link One
• Reference Link Two

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Electricity and Energy Eskom Holdings

Is it working?

The appointment of a permanent CEO and a permanent head at Eskom's generation division has yielded improvements in performance of Eskom's coal fleet.
The utility reported a profit for the first time in eight years, for the financial year-ended March 2025, which is also a testament to its financial and operational recovery.
Eskom also announced seven new board appointments in mid-October, aimed at acquiring new skills to meet the changing needs of the entity while also ensuring continuity by retaining four board members.
Mteto Nyati's term as board chair has not yet expired.
Eskom also appointed a permanent CEO to the National Transmission Company of South Africa, Monde Bala and in May 2026 appointed Junaid Munshi as group executive for Distribution.

Actions

The search for new CFO to replace Calib Cassim when he retires in October 2026 is still under way.

Are there plans?

CFO Calib Cassim is set to retire in October 2026 and Eskom is working on recruiting a successor.

Is it on the agenda?

Appointment of new CFO expected to happen timeously.
Board has been timeously renewed.

Goals

To restore leadership stability at the power utility.

References

• Reference Link One
• Reference Link Two
• Reference Link Three

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Electricity and Energy Eskom Holdings

Is it working?

Largely effective:
- EAF has remained consistently above 60%.
- Unplanned outages have reduced from 32% in 2023/24 to 23% in 2025/26.
- The utility still relies on Open Cycle Gas Turbines to meet peak demand, but not to the extent it used to during the height of the load shedding crisis. As a result, diesel expenditure has fallen from about R33.3bn to R6.4bn over a three-year period.

Actions

Eskom in April 2026 provided its winter outlook, indicating that it does not foresee loadshedding for the rest of the winter period, given excess power and declining demand. Eskom has also been taking steps to reduce and finally end load reduction in targeted areas where there are high levels of meter tampering, illegal connections and vandalism. In March 2026, electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said about 199,000 customers had already been removed from load reduction through infrastructure upgrades, feeder stabilisation and smart meter installations. He pledged to end all load reduction by end-2026.

Are there plans?

Eskom has completed the majority of its targets outlined in the Generation Recovery Plan, aimed at reducing unplanned breakdowns at power plants and boosting plant reliability. It will now focus on sustaining the recovery with operational reliability, as it achieved 365 days without load shedding on 16 May 2026.
Interventions include:
- Improve outage planning and execution.
- Execute key strategic projects such as refurbishment of mid-life stations, Koeberg's long-term operations, improve emissions reductions in coal fleet.
- Focus on people includes leadership development and a culture of excellence.
- The original 70% EAF target has been renewed for the current financial year.
- End to load reduction by end-2026.

Is it on the agenda?

The EAF was incorporated into the National Electricity Crisis Committee's action plan as one element of addressing the wider electricity crisis.

Goals

To minimise load shedding, one of the objectives of the energy action plan is to achieve a higher energy availability factor (EAF) at Eskom (the percentage of time a power plant can produce electricity). The goal was to have an average EAF of 70% but it has achieved 65%.

References

• Reference Link One
• Reference Link Two

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Electricity and Energy Eskom Holdings

Is it working?

Interventions linked to the Generation Recovery Plan have seen an improvement in Eskom plant performance, with the energy availability factor above 60% by 2025. Eskom has also improved financial performance, reporting a profit for the first time in eight years for the year to end-March 2025. Eskom reported 365 days without load shedding for the first time in eight years on 16 May 2026.

Actions

The minister has drawn 10 points from the VGBE report that he has set down as specific actions to be followed through. However, Eskom challenged some of the VGBE findings. Some of the planned action items align with Eskom's own plans, like the Generation Recovery Plan. The majority of the objectives have been achieved, and Eskom is focusing on sustaining the recovery.

Are there plans?

The 10-point plan is in place and aligned to the Generation Recovery Plan.

Is it on the agenda?

The report was put on the agenda by National Treasury and then the 10-point plan was drawn from the VGBE recommendations. Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has said the report predates the appointment of a group executive for generation, who has implemented several initiatives such as the Generation Recovery Plan to improve plant performance.

Goals

The recommendations of the report are intended to strengthen Eskom's business plan and help its turnaround efforts, as part of debt relief conditions from National Treasury.

References

• Reference Link One
• Reference Link Two
• Reference Link Three

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Electricity and Energy Eskom Holdings