South Africa marks nearly a year without power cuts

South Africa has gone close to a year without the rolling power cuts that once crippled its economy, in a dramatic turnaround for the state utility Eskom.

Eskom marked 341 consecutive days without load shedding and projected no blackouts through the winter season, when demand typically peaks. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared load shedding a thing of the past, a striking claim in a country where scheduled outages had become a daily reality.

The improvement has been driven by a rising energy availability factor at Eskom's fleet, better maintenance and a sharp fall in unplanned breakdowns, alongside growing private and renewable generation.

The relief has not been cost-free. The energy regulator approved significant electricity tariff increases over the coming years, meaning consumers and businesses face higher bills even as supply stabilises. Eskom is also still addressing localised load reduction in some areas linked to overloaded infrastructure and non-payment.

For an economy long held back by unreliable power, the end of load shedding is a significant boost, potentially lifting investment and growth. The challenge now is to sustain the gains and manage the financial burden of keeping the lights on.