Eskom’s annual average EAF (Electricity Availability Factor) increased to 60%, compared to an average of 55% in 2023, this is according to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
The CSIR released annual power generation statistics in South Africa, from 1 January to 31 December 2024.
This figure was driven by an improved unplanned plant failure rate and relatively higher planned maintenance undertaken in 2024.
During this time, demand for Eskom’s electricity decreased by an average of 3% this year due to increased private sector generation capacity uptake.
The CSIR said a combination of lower electricity demand and a gradual increase in Eskom’s EAF helped to reduce the utilisation of diesel generators to an average of 6% in year 2024, compared to 12% in year 2023, and eliminated loadshedding from April 2024 onwards.
The study compared Eskom‘s aggregated generation resources for 2024, including coal, nuclear, hydro, pumped storage, open cycle gas turbine, renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme, solar photovoltaic, wind and concentrated solar power with their installed capacities and energy production outputs from January to December 2024 to assess the impact on loadshedding.
The CSIR also said the national average electricity tariff increased by an average of 10% per year from 2014 to 2024, compared to an average inflation rate of 5.2% over the same period.