Power utility Eskom has warned solar users in South Africa that they have only until March 2026 to avoid hefty registration fees for their systems.
Failing to do so could see costs shoot up to over R50,000 to meet the utility’s installation and registration requirements.
The utility has launched a new campaign to help residential owners of SmallScale Embedded Generation (SSEG) systems—including photovoltaic (PV) installation systems—become compliant with national regulations.
National regulator Nersa requires that all SSEG owners register with Eskom or their local municipality, depending on who supplies the area.
Since March 2023, Eskom has not charged any registration fees or the cost of a bidirectional Smart Meter for households with installations of up to 50kVA.
Larger installations above 50kVA have a different fee structure. The group noted that the typical size for most residential PV installations is up to 16kVA.
Once registered, customers will be converted to the Homeflex tariff. The SSEG and non-SSEG residential customers will pay the same fixed charges.
SSEG residential customers can also benefit from Homeflex tariff credits for energy exports, it said.
Eskom stressed that customers with installations below 50kVA have been exempted from connection charges and tariff conversion fees, which typically cover costs such as quotations, physical connections, and meter installations.
However, these exemptions will only remain in place for eligible households until March 2026, including those who have not yet installed PV systems, it said.
Eskom added that the fee exemptions do not exempt owners from having to register the system.
“In accordance with Nersa regulations, businesses and households with embedded generation
systems of less than 100KVA—including solar PV systems—are required to register with Eskom,
even if they do not export power to the grid,” it said.
Customers who are fully off-grid and not connected to Eskom’s network are not required to register but must provide proof that their systems operate independently of Eskom’s supply.
Eskom said that registration is a three-step process:
- Apply for SSEG Registration
Send an email to ProvinceName@eskom.co.za (e.g., KwaZuluNatal@eskom.co.za) with #Applications in the subject line. A quote for a bidirectional meter will be sent in response only for users greater than 50kVA.
- Make Payment and Schedule Installation
After payment is made, Eskom will install and code the Smart Meter, and the customer will be converted to the Homeflex tariff.
Important: Residential customers with up to 50KVA installations are exempted from payment until 31 March 2026
- Receive Payment Details and Deposit Options
Eskom will provide estimated monthly bills and postpaid deposit options, with the option to pay the deposit over 12 months.
For residential systems up to 50kVA, the deposit can vary from R3,500 to R4,800 if no deposit has already been paid on the account in the past.
Safety Issues
Eskom said that the key purpose of registering solar SSEG systems is to ensure that the grid is secured and that everything is operating within safety standards.
“Across the world, with more and more solar PV systems pushing energy onto the grid, the safety of the grid has become a critical focus for both performance and the safety of the employees working on it,” it said.
Because of this, the utility said that installers should ensure that equipment complies with South African standards (NRS 097-2).
This will remain in place until the SABS finalises Low Voltage Regulation rules for SSEGs, it said.
Notably, the group said that customers need to have a registered engineer or technologist sign off on the Embedded Generator Installation (EGI) report to ensure the safe integration of the system, as requested in the NERSA guidelines.
Customers also need to obtain the required Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for internal wiring of the property.
The requirements for a registered engineer or technologist to sign off on the installation has proven to be one of the most controversial aspects of the registration process, as this can prove to be costly.
Industry experts say the cost of this sign-off could add upwards of R20,000 to the final bill.
If customers wait too long to install their systems—until after the 31 March 2026 deadline set by Eskom—the cost of becoming compliant could shoot up beyond R50,000.
“Eskom remains committed to providing ongoing support, guidance, and engagement with customers and industry stakeholders to ensure the safe and efficient use of solar energy solutions across South Africa,” it said.
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