Eskom
Eskom is South Africa's state-owned electricity utility and the dominant power generator in the country. The company supplies approximately 90% of South Africa's electricity and is one of the largest utilities in Africa by generation capacity. Eskom operates a fleet of coal-fired, nuclear, hydroelectric, gas turbine and pumped-storage power stations, with coal-fired generation forming the backbone of its capacity. The utility is headquartered in Johannesburg and employs tens of thousands of people across its generation, transmission and distribution operations. Eskom has faced significant operational and financial challenges in recent years, including ageing infrastructure, maintenance backlogs, high debt levels and governance issues. These difficulties have led to recurring periods of loadshedding, during which the utility implements rolling blackouts to prevent a total grid collapse. The company's performance is critical to South Africa's economy, as reliable electricity supply underpins mining, manufacturing and other energy-intensive industries. Eskom was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission and has undergone several restructurings and reforms over the decades. The utility remains a focal point of South Africa's energy policy debates and economic planning.
Eskom Updates
Joint working committee to probe solutions to Rand Water’s power supply issues
By: Natasha Odendaal 10th September 2026 A joint working committee, led by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), will be established to identify solutions to ensure that Rand Water... →
Government on measures to mitigate water supply disruptions resulting from power trips
10th September 2026 The Ministry of Water and Sanitation, led by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo together with Deputy Minister Jack Bloom, convened an urgent stakeholder... →
Pig farm vs power station: South African court tells state‑owned Eskom to clean up its pollution
10th September 2026 About 74% of South Africa’s electricity is generated by coal-fired power stations owned by the state-owned electricity provider, Eskom. These... →
South Africa urged to lock in reforms before Ramaphosa leaves 
By: Bloomberg 10th September 2026 South Africa must enshrine its reform process in law to guarantee the momentum gained under President Cyril Ramaphosa endures after he leaves... →
South Africa has new electricity pricing rules after 18 years: what it gets right and wrong
9th September 2026 The South African government has released a new electricity pricing policy for the first time in 18 years. The policy sets rules that the national... →
ANC is deliberately blocking insourcing in Ekurhuleni to protect tenders
9th September 2026 It must be made clear to the residents of Ekurhuleni, especially exploited workers, that the ANC has never had an appetite for insourcing. Its true... →
End-2027 timeline outlined for independent Transmission System Operator
By: Terence Creamer 7th September 2026 The request for proposals (RFP) issued for the appointment of a transaction adviser to support the establishment of a fully independent... →
Ongoing electricity outages in Johannesburg: another failure of Lesufi’s government
7th September 2026 Gauteng residents, particularly in the Johannesburg CBD, are constantly left scrambling to find an alternative electricity supply because City... →
Businesses not yet feeling the effect of reforms, as confidence drops – BLSA
By: Schalk Burger 7th September 2026 Businesses are unfortunately not yet feeling the impact of structural reforms on the ground, with felt progress important in the move toward a new... →
Operation Vulindlela: Opening the road
By: Econ3x3 4th September 2026 Operation Vulindlela is a joint delivery unit of the Presidency and the National Treasury, established in 2020 to implement a limited set of... →
