State-owned power utility Eskom has welcomed the decision by international ratings agency S&P Global Ratings to upgrade Eskom's 'B' long-term global-scale foreign and local currency ratings to positive from stable.

The ratings agency also affirmed Eskom’s ‘B’ issue rating on the group's senior unsecured debt and the ‘BB-’ foreign currency issue ratings on the government-guaranteed debt.

Further, Eskom’s South Africa national scale issuer credit rating was upgraded to ‘zaBBB+’ from ‘zaBBB’, with the short-term national scale rating of ‘zaA-2’ reaffirmed, Eskom said in a statement.

This decision reflects S&P Global’s confidence in the impact of the R254-billion financial support package introduced through the Eskom Debt Relief Act signed in 2023.

This package ensures Eskom can meet its debt servicing and repayment commitments through 2026, thereby significantly reducing liquidity risks and bolstering the company’s financial stability, it said.

“Our success in improving generation performance and achieving more than R16-billion in diesel savings highlights the efficiency gains we are driving. Sustaining this momentum will support Eskom’s path to profitability and reduce our reliance on fiscal support in the future,” said Eskom CE Dan Marokane.

“This upgrade is a clear indicator of the progress we are making in strengthening Eskom’s financial and operational foundation. It sends a positive message to investors and stakeholders, reinforcing trust in our ability to deliver energy security while driving long-term sustainability,” he added.

This credit rating upgrade underscores the progress made in restoring Eskom’s financial health and operational reliability. Eskom is committed to delivering on its mandate to power South Africa’s economic future while creating value for all stakeholders, he emphasised.

Eskom will continue to focus on implementing generation recovery, strengthening governance and tackling crime and corruption while future-proofing the organisation to enable energy security, growth and long-term sustainability for the benefit of South Africa, the utility said.