By Rorisang Modiba
- Eskom says breakdowns dropped and the country has had 325 days without load shedding after years of power cuts.
- Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will review electricity prices after a court blocked a secret R54-billion deal that could have pushed tariffs higher.
Eskom says South Africa’s electricity system is finally on steadier ground after years of rolling blackouts.
The power utility says it is now turning its attention to the high cost of producing electricity, after keeping the lights on for most of the past year.
Speaking to eNCA, Eskom senior manager Eric Shunmugam said the utility has brought back nearly 7,500 megawatts of power since winter 2024. He said this has made a major difference to the stability of the system.
Two years ago, Eskom was losing about 18,000 megawatts daily because of breakdowns at power stations. That figure has now dropped to around 9,000 megawatts.
Shunmugam said this improvement is equal to about seven stages of load shedding. He said South Africa has now gone 325 days without power cuts.
With supply more reliable, Eskom says its focus is shifting. The utility wants to lower the cost of producing electricity while still keeping power stations running safely and consistently.
This is especially important for Eskom’s older power stations, which are costly to maintain and repair.
At the same time, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is reviewing how electricity prices are set. The review is expected to be finalised by March 2026.
Ramokgopa says the government wants a clear price plan so households and businesses know what to expect in future. He has been vocal about Eskom’s history of steep price hikes.
He pointed out that electricity prices have risen by 937 percent since 2007, while inflation rose by only 155 percent in the same period.
Ramokgopa says the days of double digit electricity price increases are over. He wants future hikes to stay within single digits and closer to inflation.
In December 2025, the Pretoria High Court blocked a secret R54 billion settlement between Eskom and the energy regulator Nersa.
The court ruled that the deal was unlawful and said the public must be consulted before final electricity prices are decided.
Pictured above: Eskom.
Image source: File
