Eskom blames vandalism as Sebokeng areas remain in darkness

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Eskom has blamed vandalism of the Seboka Substation which has affected electricity supply to Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg.

Most areas such as Zones 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, 10, 11 & 13, Small Farms, and New Village remained in the dark since last week following power outage.

The power utility said they are still assessing the extent of the damages, and therefore, can not provide the estimated time of restoration.

It further urged communities to work with them in fighting the scourge of vandalism and theft of the electricity infrastructure or any unauthorised person who operates on their equipment.

The power loss in these areas comes in wake of the deadline for updating pre-paid meters to KRN2 (Key Revision Number 2) which Eskom revealed that it has successfully recoded 5.6 million pre-paid meters.

“This includes around 400,000 zero buyers who have now become paying customers. We urge the remaining approximately 1.6 million zero buyers to continue doing the right thing by Friday, December 13,” Eskom said.

Meanwhile, the power provider has announced that the suspension of load shedding has surpassed the 250-day mark, resulting in year-on-year diesel savings of R16.99 billion.

According to the utility, this achievement reflects the ongoing success of comprehensive structural improvements within the coal-fired fleet, reinforcing their commitment to providing a reliable energy supply, enabling economic growth, and promoting long-term sustainability.

Eskom increase planned maintenance

“With the December summer break approaching and many industries shutting down for this period, along with continuous progress in minimising unplanned outages, Eskom has started to gradually increase its planned maintenance activities to further improve the reliability of its generation fleet.

“The recovery plan has resulted in year-on-year diesel savings of R16.99 billion, approximately 70.0% less than the R24.27 billion spent during the same period last year. Diesel usage remains below the year-to-date budget.

“Over the past week, the average total unplanned outages have been at 11 038MW, a significant improvement from the 14 475MW recorded during the same period last year, representing a reduction of 3 437MW.

“Friday’s unplanned outages are at 11 834MW, which is 1 166MW lower than the summer 2024 base case, indicating consistently improved operational efficiency week after week.

“Eskom’s EAF was at an average of 59.4% over the past week and 62.8% year-to-date, with top-performing stations — including Majuba, Medupi, and peaking stations — achieving an average EAF of 70% and above. Four other power stations recorded EAFs above 60%.

“With an available generation capacity of 27 929MW and a peak demand forecast of 25 830MW for tonight, Eskom remains on track to meet electricity demand. By Monday evening, an additional 2 600MW is expected to return online.

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“In August, Eskom shared its Summer Outlook for the period from 1 September 2024 to 31 March 2025, predicting a likely scenario of a loadshedding-free summer due to structural generation improvements. This outlook remains unchanged,” the statement read.