However you choose to describe it.

I got an email from the company that installed my system 4.5 odd years ago. They say that starting a couple of months ago Eskom and the municipalities are getting stricter about registering of solar systems. 

So they have partnered with a suitable engineering company and they do a site visit, all the drawings, certification and manage the process for you once you've filled in the forms.

Interestingly, they say that the combination of PV and pre-paid is allowed by some suppliers, and they say this with confidence because they already have several such systems registered.

So, I pulled the trigger on this today. I always knew this day would come, and I'm glad to have somebody to manage the whole process for me.

They are not limiting this to systems they installed, though obviously they can't take any responsibility in such cases for what the engineer may find.

If all goes well in my case, the process should be underway before Christmas, and City Power will know that I am being a compliant citizen and will not come here and do unpleasant things. 

Edited December 14, 20232 yr by Bobster.
chose/choose

Sounds to me like fear mongering. Are these guys in bed with your local municipality?

The in my valley the ELM cannot even organize a piss up in a brewery. 

The local municipalities are loosing millions due to paying customers, switching to solar. I will try my best to be the last one to register for anything. 

10 minutes ago, Vaal said:

Sounds to me like fear mongering. Are these guys in bed with your local municipality?

The in my valley the ELM cannot even organize a piss up in a brewery. 

The local municipalities are loosing millions due to paying customers, switching to solar. I will try my best to be the last one to register for anything. 

Well, I hear reports of people with solar being disconnected. I don't believe it's all just gossip doing the rounds on whatsapp.

Certainly, in Johannesburg, if you have a pre-paid meter and your spend drops off more than a certain percent you will be flagged for investigation. If you don't buy for three straight months you will be flagged for disconnection. The latter would explain some of the reports of arbitrary disconnections.

City Power announced a couple of months back that they were now requiring registration of domestic PV systems. When my installation was done this was a grey area in the regulations, but I knew that one day they would close that hole. I don't mind in principle. If I have a source of generation that can connect to the grid and feed back (mine doesn't, but it can), then the utility has, I believe, a legitimate interest.

Anyways, we can all do what we deem to be in our best interests. For me, as I've said, I've been waiting for this hammer to fall. That these guys manage the whole thing for me instead of me having to visit various municipal offices is a bonus for me.

1 hour ago, Bobster. said:

Well, I hear reports of people with solar being disconnected. I don't believe it's all just gossip doing the rounds on whatsapp.

Certainly, in Johannesburg, if you have a pre-paid meter and your spend drops off more than a certain percent you will be flagged for investigation. If you don't buy for three straight months you will be flagged for disconnection. The latter would explain some of the reports of arbitrary disconnections.

City Power announced a couple of months back that they were now requiring registration of domestic PV systems. When my installation was done this was a grey area in the regulations, but I knew that one day they would close that hole. I don't mind in principle. If I have a source of generation that can connect to the grid and feed back (mine doesn't, but it can), then the utility has, I believe, a legitimate interest.

Anyways, we can all do what we deem to be in our best interests. For me, as I've said, I've been waiting for this hammer to fall. That these guys manage the whole thing for me instead of me having to visit various municipal offices is a bonus for me.

But if the rule is disconnection after 3 months of not buying then it's a choice to say buy R50 every 3 months. 

10 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

But if the rule is disconnection after 3 months of not buying then it's a choice to say buy R50 every 3 months. 

Which I do. 

But when I converted to pre-paid (which is before I had solar installed), nobody told me about this rule. The technician came out, replaced whatever, loaded a small amount onto the meter and left me to it. Either they weren't monitoring as strictly back then, or nobody told me.

I found out about this rule from an Uber driver one morning. He was getting lots of calls and from what I could hear it was easy to deduce that he was doing something electrical. So I got chatting to him, and he told me that Uber was his side hustle, that he is a contractor for City Power and he installs pre-paid meters. And during that conversation I learned about this requirement to load every third month.

The problem with City Power (I can't speak about other utilities) is that they have rules, but it's so hard to find out what the rules are.

Our elected representatives are not much more helpful. I've asked two of them about solar and what I should do and they just shrug. Even now, after City Power tweeted about registration, they've said nothing and act like they know nothing.

Edited December 14, 20232 yr by Bobster.

5 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

Which I do. 

But when I converted to pre-paid (which is before I had solar installed), nobody told me about this rule. The technician came out, replaced whatever, loaded a small amount onto the meter and left me to it. Either they weren't monitoring as strictly back then, or nobody told me.

I found out about this rule from an Uber driver one morning. He was getting lots of calls and from what I could hear it was easy to deduce that he was doing something electrical. So I got chatting to him, and he told me that Uber was his side hustle, that he is a contractor for City Power and he installs pre-paid meters. And during that conversation I learned about this requirement to load every third month.

The problem with City Power (I can't speak about other utilities) is that they have rules, but it's so hard to find out what the rules are.

Our elected representatives are not much more helpful. I've asked two of them about solar and what I should do and they just shrug. Even now, after City Power tweeted about registration, they've said nothing and act like they know nothing.

It seems like City power have offices making their own rules. That is based on feedback from residents in different areas. There are many guys converting to prepaid post solar install. 

My panels are not visible at all - except from space 🙂  I will hold out on this till the very end.  I do still buy electricity every month but it is about 50-60% less than it used to be.

Thing with these regulations...how did they regulate people with generators in the past? Did you als have to "register" your gennie?

1 minute ago, Douw G. Gerber said:

My panels are not visible at all - except from space 🙂  I will hold out on this till the very end.  I do still buy electricity every month but it is about 50-60% less than it used to be.

Thing with these regulations...how did they regulate people with generators in the past? Did you als have to "register" your gennie?

Gennies did not impact on their income. It's mostly about money not safety and helping the grid via most of us. 

10 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

Gennies did not impact on their income. It's mostly about money not safety and helping the grid via most of us. 

With politicians that is the general rule 🤪

They are losing soooo much now they scratching to find funds to pay for all the free services they give out on their budgets.
They guise the regulations and application thereof under "safety" so that the many not so bright citizens don't ask too many questions.

13 minutes ago, WannabeSolarSparky said:

With politicians that is the general rule 🤪

They are losing soooo much now they scratching to find funds to pay for all the free services they give out on their budgets.
They guise the regulations and application thereof under "safety" so that the many not so bright citizens don't ask too many questions.

Then add elections money required also for next year's campaign materials... whatever loans they have to clear, in case they lose...

50 minutes ago, Douw G. Gerber said:

Thing with these regulations...how did they regulate people with generators in the past? Did you als have to "register" your gennie?

Gennies shouldn't be feeding back into the grid, though I believe that some standard somewhere requires a proper change over switch if you're not running an extension lead from the gennie. So a suicide plug would be verboten.

My system notionally can feed back into the grid when there's no load shedding. So I think they're entitled to take an interest in that. And it's supposed to not feed back when the utility goes down. So I think they have an interest there too.

I don't think the two situations are that similar, and I don't think that just because one thing was allowed for years means that we shouldn't be concerned about a second thing.

As regards their income. Well... if I sell back to them, then they should credit me somehow, so they need to know how much I fed back, and that means having a two-way meter.

As I said earlier, I knew that this day would come. The above are some of the reasons why.

10 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

So a suicide plug would be verboten.

Of course, detecting the presence of a suicide plug after a fire has consumed either my gennie or my house is problematic, but more for me and my insurer than for City Power.

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by Bobster.
my/your

41 minutes ago, Moffat said:

Then add elections money required also for next year's campaign materials... whatever loans they have to clear, in case they lose...

An interesting thing to note here is that it's the DA run muncipalities who have been most active in this regard (as we hear from forum members in Cape Town). I'm a bit ambivalent about the DA, and certainly one or two of their members have got themselves into eyebrow raising situations, but the COCT doesn't strike me as a hot bed of book cooking. 

What is this rule / regulation that City Power are stating now?

 

If you fall under City Power and you are in JHB and have a solar install you need to register it with City Power or is this only if you are on pre-paid?

 

I am with Eskom and on postpaid... I do not recall seeing any articles stating that one must register a system in JHB - I know CPT have had such regulations for a while though.

Utils must just go and dig out those old non prepaid meter from the land fill site. Replace the prepaid meter with these already paid for bi-directional meters decades ago. Why pay R10 000 for a new one. 

Those consumers that then don't want to pay their post paid meters can get their prepaid back. 

A fair way is then to get credits at the same rate as you use. 

While exporting during the day you help Eksdom to pump back the storage schemes for power later. 

If there was a will to make things better then this could work as it is working in 1 metro. In the same way numerous LS cycles would not have been there if the major munic with ripple relays used them. This was put forward as a top 10 plan to Eskom many years ago. Did they understand how it works? 

Problem solved. 

So here's a thing that occured to me and has just been confirmed.

Part of the information I have to supply is the model and serial number of the inverter.

So the registration is for a specified inverter(s) at a specified address, connected in a certain way. You change the installation, you have to re-register.

1 minute ago, Bobster. said:

So here's a thing that occured to me and has just been confirmed.

Part of the information I have to supply is the model and serial number of the inverter.

So the registration is for a specified inverter(s) at a specified address, connected in a certain way. You change the installation, you have to re-register.

Eish....

 

 

Or what? They going to want to come around once a year for a check up on your solar equipment?

2 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

So here's a thing that occured to me and has just been confirmed.

Part of the information I have to supply is the model and serial number of the inverter.

So the registration is for a specified inverter(s) at a specified address, connected in a certain way. You change the installation, you have to re-register.

And when you re-register an upgrade must you pay an admin fee again?

Milking the cow with milk.

1 minute ago, PsyCLown said:

What is this rule / regulation that City Power are stating now?

 

If you fall under City Power and you are in JHB and have a solar install you need to register it with City Power or is this only if you are on pre-paid?

 

I am with Eskom and on postpaid... I do not recall seeing any articles stating that one must register a system in JHB - I know CPT have had such regulations for a while though.

City Power did announce an SSEG registration program a couple of months back. It applies to any PV system, and irrespective of what tariff you are on. 

As regards Eskom, maybe check quietly. My information is that Eskom and multiple municipalities now have such programs in place. 

3 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

Eish....

 

 

Or what? They going to want to come around once a year for a check up on your solar equipment?

I know of many meters that have not been read in years. 

Now we suggest someone comes around to check the details of an inverter system!!!! 

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by Scorp007

Just now, Scorp007 said:

I know of many mergers that have not been read in years. 

Now we suggest someone comes around to check the details of an inverter system!!!! 

Yeah, as long as insurance don't get involved then perhaps this can go the same way as the TV license and etolls.

 

1 minute ago, Bobster. said:

City Power did announce an SSEG registration program a couple of months back. It applies to any PV system, and irrespective of what tariff you are on. 

As regards Eskom, maybe check quietly. My information is that Eskom and multiple municipalities now have such programs in place. 

Hmm, maybe I will make an enquiry when I go and collect my CIU from Eskom as I never got one when I bought my house and see if they know about PV registrations for Eskom customers.

 

 

Also if one were to have PV and still usage a decent amount from the grid then I imagine they wouldn't really care as much.

2 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

Eish....

Or what? They going to want to come around once a year for a check up on your solar equipment?

Who knows. I know they've been to my place several times since I switched to solar, and in fact they were here once before I made the switch. The very first time they were inspecting the neighbourhood because, they said, there is some scam involving moving pre-paid meters around, so they were checking that the serial number on the meter matched the address. Subsequent visits have been because they have seen a drop off on my pre-paid purchases.

I'm inclined to wonder if they have thought through all the ramifications of this process. Maybe they have. I would bet (but I don't KNOW) that they don't inspect, but if anything happens and the system in your house is not what is registered then you have been naughty and all sorts of laws, or insurance small print, may be invoked. That's my guess. I suppose once they have a two-way meter in place, it doesn't matter too much what is feeding back.

5 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

Who knows. I know they've been to my place several times since I switched to solar, and in fact they were here once before I made the switch. The very first time they were inspecting the neighbourhood because, they said, there is some scam involving moving pre-paid meters around, so they were checking that the serial number on the meter matched the address. Subsequent visits have been because they have seen a drop off on my pre-paid purchases.

I'm inclined to wonder if they have thought through all the ramifications of this process. Maybe they have. I would bet (but I don't KNOW) that they don't inspect, but if anything happens and the system in your house is not what is registered then you have been naughty and all sorts of laws, or insurance small print, may be invoked. That's my guess. I suppose once they have a two-way meter in place, it doesn't matter too much what is feeding back.

Wow, I have only been graced with a visit from Eskom once and that is when I logged a call for them to come out as my Neutral connection outside the property was loose and I therefore did not have any power.

 

I once messed up and thought I had more time to pay my Eskom bill, they cut me off. Nobody came to visit me, nobody even gave me a call.

I had to call and find out WTF is happening and then when double checking my invoice noticed it was a fault of my own.

 

Honestly, if people showed up at my house claiming to be from Eskom and stating they want to check my equipment I would be very hesitant and probably not provide them with access as there are soo many scams now a days and how would I know they are actual Eskom employees and not trying to gain access to my property to rob me?

 

@Bobster. Please do keep us updated on the progress and how it all turns out. What sort of fees are involved in this process?

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by PsyCLown

15 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

Yeah, as long as insurance don't get involved then perhaps this can go the same way as the TV license and etolls.

You're talking to a boy scout/compliant citizen here 🙂 I've never minded the principle of paying a TV licence nor the etoll. I've had no problem with either system. There is a question mark about where the money is going to, but that doesn't mean I reject the idea, I just want to see the money going where it should. I also keep a library card, because my nearest library gets budget according to the number of members.
 

15 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

Hmm, maybe I will make an enquiry when I go and collect my CIU from Eskom as I never got one when I bought my house and see if they know about PV registrations for Eskom customers.

 

 

Also if one were to have PV and still usage a decent amount from the grid then I imagine they wouldn't really care as much.

It depends on what you think the motivation is. I'm inclined to believe that it's at least partly because of safety, and, as stated, to me it seems right that if I connect something to the grid that can feed power back then City Power have a legitimate interest in that.

In JHB, if you have prepaid and they see your purchases dropping off then they will investigate. If you don't buy for three consecutive months then they flag you for disconnection. My bimonthly purchase now is so low that they can't possibly believe that I'm running a house in a nice suburb on that amount, and so I'm ringing bells for sure.  Which is why they've several times been here to inspect.

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by Bobster.

55 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

So here's a thing that occured to me and has just been confirmed.

Part of the information I have to supply is the model and serial number of the inverter.

So the registration is for a specified inverter(s) at a specified address, connected in a certain way. You change the installation, you have to re-register.

I've just had it conFIRMed that what you actually register, in Johannesburg, is the inverter and it's connections to the grid. You change anything on the PV or battery side and that does not require re-registration. It may, of course, require an updated COC.

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by Bobster.
concern/confirm