More than one million Eskom customers have been removed from load reduction schedules as the power utility reports significant progress in restoring more reliable electricity access.
Eskom says approximately 1 099 430 customers have now been removed from load reduction schedules through its Load Reduction Eradication Programme.
The figure represents 65% of the 1.69 million customers targeted by the programme and marks a significant reduction in the number of households affected by controlled electricity supply restrictions.
When the programme was introduced, load reduction affected 23.5% of Eskom’s 7.2 million customers. That proportion has now fallen to approximately 8.3%.
Load reduction has also been completely eliminated in five provinces. Eskom says it remains on track to eliminate the practice in seven provinces by October 2026 and nationally by 2027.
The progress is particularly important for communities where load reduction has disrupted daily life, affected small businesses and created challenges for households trying to work, study and manage essential activities.
Unlike load shedding, which is used to protect the national power system when electricity demand exceeds available supply, load reduction is generally implemented in specific high-demand areas to protect local infrastructure from overloading.
Eskom’s progress in reducing the number of affected customers has been supported by the rollout of smart meters. The utility has deployed 1 861 180 smart meters nationally, with nearly a quarter installed in high-priority load reduction areas.
The smart meter programme forms part of a broader strategy to improve electricity demand management, reduce network pressure and support the eventual elimination of load reduction.
The progress comes as Eskom also reports improved performance across the national electricity system.
The utility’s Energy Availability Factor increased to 64.29% for the financial year to date, from 1 April to 2 July 2026, compared with 58.54% during the same period last year.
Average unplanned outages declined by 5 131MW, falling from 14 981MW during the comparable period last year to 9 850MW between 26 June and 2 July 2026.
The improved generation performance has also significantly reduced the utility’s reliance on expensive diesel-fired generation.
No diesel was used during the latest reporting week. For the financial year to date, diesel expenditure stands at R746.41 million, compared with R4.86 billion during the same period last year, representing an 84.65% reduction.
South Africa has now recorded 413 consecutive days without load shedding since 16 May 2025, while Eskom’s Winter Outlook continues to project no load shedding through the winter period ending 31 August 2026.
Despite the progress, illegal connections and meter tampering remain significant challenges. Eskom has warned that these activities damage electricity infrastructure, increase pressure on local networks and create serious safety risks for communities.
The utility has urged customers to report illegal connections and infrastructure vandalism while reaffirming its commitment to eliminating load reduction across South Africa by 2027.
For more than one million customers already removed from load reduction schedules, the programme’s progress represents a practical improvement in access to more consistent electricity supply.
