New rates approved by energy regulator
South Africa's power utility is set to roll out revised electricity tariffs at the start of the new financial year, with direct Eskom customers facing higher bills from April and municipal consumers expected to feel the pinch from July onwards.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) gave the green light for the adjustments back in February, approving an 8.76% hike for Eskom's direct customers and an average increase of 9.01% for those supplied through municipalities.
Eskom said the revised tariffs are essential to sustaining reliable power delivery across the country, noting that the revenue generated covers the full cost chain of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity. The utility added that moving towards a fair return on investment is critical for maintaining and upgrading ageing infrastructure.
"NERSA considered both customer affordability and the long‑term sustainability of the electricity system."
Group Chief Financial Officer Calib Cassim stressed that the utility is committed to keeping future tariff requests within reasonable bounds, acknowledging the financial strain on households and businesses alike.
"Achieving this depends on disciplined financial management and finding smarter, more efficient ways of operating."
The power producer confirmed that subsidised tariff structures will remain unchanged, ensuring that electricity stays within reach for low-income and rural communities across the country.
Generation fleet showing marked improvement
Eskom pointed to significant strides in the reliability of its power stations over the past three years. The Energy Availability Factor has climbed to 65.85% on a year-to-date basis from 1 April 2025 to 12 March 2026, with the generation fleet hitting or surpassing the 70% threshold on 83 separate occasions during that period.
The baseload units that keep the grid powered around the clock have shown the most dramatic turnaround. These critical plants have gone from a mere 9% availability two years ago to operating at above 98% availability today, representing a remarkable recovery in the backbone of the national electricity supply system.
