Is it working?

Improving planned maintenance has reduced unplanned breakdowns and helped limit load shedding - with South Africa recording more than 180 days without load shedding by mid-November 2025.
Eskom by September 2025 recovered just under 7.8GW generation capacity through long term outage completions and new build (Kusile unit 6).
The Energy Availability Factor has improved from lows of 55% in 2023, and is so far consistently above 60% in the financial year 2025/26.
As of mid-November 15 of Eskom's generation units - equivalent to 5 645MW - are on cold reserve due to excess capacity.

Actions

Eskom is working to contain maintenance operations within prescribed timelines, and avoid outage slips that contributed to load shedding in winter 2025.
To do this it will work on achieving operational excellence - with Eskom putting a "systems, people, process mindset" in place across the organisation. This includes equipping managers better, ensuring there are enough staff resources at power stations, as well as addressing procurement challenges to secure parts in time for maintenance.
Most of the Generation recovery Plan objectives have been met- the focus is now on sustaining the recovery.

Are there plans?

Eskom's summer outlook outlined a plan to sustain recovery in generation performance so that the EAF can climb to 70%.

Planned maintenance is being smoothened out over longer horizons as opposed to shorter windows to ensure there is enough generation capacity available.

Eskom is still addressing the issue of outage slips.

Eskom is implementing a Demand Management Programme to also free up generation capacity and reduce load shedding.

Grid infrastructure network rollout, as per the Transmission Development Plan is also important to connect new generation projects and reduce load shedding.

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

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.

Actions

Appointment of permanent head for Eskom Distribution still required, amid unbundling.Search for new CFO to replace Calib Cassim when he retires in October 2026 needed.

Are there plans?

CFO Calib Cassim is set to retire in October 2026 and Eskom is working on recruiting a successor. Advertisements are not yet out.
rnDistribution unbundling is still under way and requires a solution to municipal debt, which is still being tested.
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Is it on the agenda?

Appointment of new CFO expected to happen timeously.Appointment of permanent Distribution head tied to unbundling of the subsidiary which is still under way.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 substantially, by 24%, for the period 1 April 2025-14 November 2025.
- The utility still relies on Open Cycle Gas Turbines to meet peak demand.

Actions

At its summer outlook briefing in September 2025, Eskom officials indicated that the power utility has breathing room of 4GW to work with to meet demand over the summer period. This includes 800MW from Kusile Unit 6 that achieved commercial operation in late September and Medupi Unit 4 which added 800MW to the grid in July 2025. Koeberg Unit 2 was also granted a 20-year licence extension in early November 2025, which would see it continuing to add approximately 900MW to the grid.Other measures include Eskom's demand management programme that will free up 2.4GW.

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.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.

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 is to have an average EAF of 70% by March 2025. But this has been pushed out to March 2026.

References

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

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.

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

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Electricity and Energy Eskom Holdings