Monday, 16 March 2026: Eskom implements the tariff adjustments that will come into effect for the 2026/27 financial year, following the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (NERSA) decision of 5 March 2026. NERSA has approved an average electricity price increase of 8.76% for customers supplied directly by Eskom.
The new tariffs will apply from 1 April 2026 for Eskom direct customers. Municipal bulk purchasers will implement their tariff increases, averaging 9.01%, from 1 July 2026, in line with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), which requires municipalities to implement tariff changes at the start of their financial year.
“We have been clear in communicating that Eskom is working to ensure that future tariff increase requests remain reasonable, recognising the affordability pressures on both residential and business customers. Achieving this depends on disciplined financial management and finding smarter, more efficient ways of operating,” said Eskom’s Group Chief Financial Officer Calib Cassim.
The tariff increase supports Eskom’s ability to provide a stable and reliable electricity supply. Eskom’s revenue requirement covers the cost of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity, while migrating towards a fair return needed to maintain and invest in critical infrastructure. NERSA considered both customer affordability and the long‑term sustainability of the electricity system.
Eskom would also like to reassure customers that subsidised tariffs remain in place.
- Homelight tariffs continue to be subsidised, with these subsidies recovered through the Affordability Subsidy Charge.
- Rural tariffs also remain subsidised due to higher network costs in those areas.
- These network‑related subsidies, including those benefiting Homelight customers, are recovered through the Electrification and Rural Subsidy (ERS) charge and the Low‑Voltage charge.
These measures continue to ensure that electricity remains accessible and affordable for low‑income and rural households.
Over the past three years, Eskom has made steady progress in improving the performance of its generation fleet. The Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has risen to 65.85% year‑to‑date (1 April 2025 to 12 March 2026), with the fleet reaching or exceeding 70% on 83 occasions so far. The baseload units that anchor the system 24/7 have stabilised significantly, improving from 9% availability two years ago to being available more than 98% of the time today.
Eskom remains committed to transparent communication, disciplined financial management and continued operational improvements that support a dependable electricity supply for all South Africans.
NERSA Decision on tariff adjustment for FY 2027 for various customer categories
Where to find your tariff details
The detailed tariffs, as approved by NERSA, will be available on Eskom’s website. The link to access these tariffs is: https://www.eskom.co.za/distribution/tariffs-and-charges/
This is only applicable to customers that purchase electricity from Eskom. Customers purchasing electricity from Municipalities will need to await communication from their Municipalities.
About Eskom and Electricity – Electricity Generation Capacity: Approximately 48,000 MW.
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