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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 66499, member: 636"]
Eskom plans to end load reduction across South Africa by March 2027 through a nationwide smart meter program. The state utility will install 6.2 million smart meters to monitor electricity use and detect illegal connections that cause annual revenue losses of 30 billion rand. Acting Group Executive for Distribution Agnes Mlambo said the technology will identify tampering attempts and overloaded transformers in real time.

The rollout targets 7.2 million customers, with 800,000 meters already installed as of late 2025. Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal receive priority status because overloads affect 1.69 million customers there. The Northern Cape and Western Cape should complete installations by mid-2026. Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa launched the strategy on September 25, 2025.

Eskom faces budget uncertainty and procurement delays that could slow progress. National Treasury allocated funds for only 250,000 meters by the 2027 financial year, far below the utility's goal. The company will spend 320 billion rand over five years on infrastructure improvements. Theft and vandalism remain persistent problems that threaten equipment and worker safety across the distribution network.
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