Loadshedding fell 82% in first half amid demand drop, steady Eskom output

South Africa experienced a sharp reduction in loadshedding during the first half of this year, with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) reporting on September 26 that the amount of electricity shed fell by 82% compared with the same period in 2024. According to the council’s latest power generation statistics, covering the period from January 1 to June 30, a total of 749 GWh was shed from the grid, down from 4 126 GWh in the first half of last year. The report attributes this improvement to lower electricity demand, new generation capacity and a marginal rise in Eskom’s energy availability factor (EAF).