Eskom smart meters target load-reduction hotspots

Eskom has installed over 517,000 smart meters in load-reduction feeders, aiming to phase out the controversial electricity supply measure by March 2027. The utility has reached 90% of its target for high-priority areas in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal, which account for about 83% of the installations. These smart meters are being deployed in regions with high levels of illegal connections, electricity theft, and network overloading.

Despite stable infrastructure and generation capacity exceeding demand, the rollout has faced resistance, with more than 122,000 planned installations delayed due to safety incidents, intimidation, and work stoppages.

The smart meter program is part of Eskom's Load-Reduction Eradication Programme, targeting 971 feeders and 1.69 million customers nationwide. So far, 593 feeders have been removed, representing 61% of the target, and seven provinces are completely exempt. Customer numbers affected by load-reduction have dropped from 1.69 million to 202,590, with remaining affected customers concentrated in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Over 60% of previously affected customers in these provinces have been restored to normal supply. Eskom reports its strongest operational performance in six years, with an Energy Availability Factor of 68.11% for the first ten months of the year, an increase of 12.76 percentage points compared to the same period last year. The utility has returned 6,492MW of generating capacity to the grid and reached 504 consecutive days without load-shedding, attributed to improved fleet performance, fewer unplanned outages, additional generation capacity, and reduced reliance on emergency resources. Eskom currently has 6,722MW in cold reserve due to excess capacity, enhancing system assurance.