Hi,

I understand that those with solar installation have to register with Eskom before March 2026, in order to avoid penalties - I further understand that Eskom is waving any potential registration fees until this time for systems below 50 or 100 kwh.

I also recently received a SMS from Eskom as follows:

Eskom ref 969...... A photovoltaic (PV) installation has been identified on your property. Please apply to have your installation authorised to avoid and further action. For more details, visit: https://www.eskom.co.za/distribution/small-scale-embedded-generators/

I did a quick search and found the Eskom Requirements as follows: Eskom on solar registration fees | South African Government

https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/eskom-solar-registration-fees-01-apr-2025

Looking at this website, I extracted three requirements, as follows:

• Ensuring 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.

• Having 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.

• Obtaining the required Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for internal wiring of the property

I then see that:

One must pay a deposit of between R3500 to R4800, and Eskom will install a and code the Smart Meter and the customer will be converted to the Homeflex tariff.

I have 4 questions, on the above requirements, that I am hoping can be answered:

Question 1: Where can these South African standards (NRS 097-2) be found? - how does a person determine if their system meets these standards?

Question 2: Where does a person find a registered engineer (or technologist) to sign off on the Embedded Generator Installation (EGI) report - I am Cape Town based (Does anyone know anyone)

Question 3: Why do we need a smart meter (do they actually come and install these?) - what is this going to do for a person (is it better or worse than the current meter)

Question 4: What is the Homeflex tariff - is this a higher or lower rate ? .... can anyone throw any light on this tariff and what this means (in laymans terms)?

I am sure many people have these same questions so I am hoping we can start the discussion here.

Thank you

Eskom Solar Registration - Google search 11 July 2025.pdf

I can give some general answers. I'm not an Eskom client, but I have had my system registered.

You live in Cape Town. There must be companies there doing registration & especially checking for compliance. Because COCT requires registration ahead of installation. You should be able to find somebody. Up here in Gauteng there are companies that deal in registration, I'd expect Cape Town to be better off in that regard because of the greater demand (which comes because of enforcement of the regulations).

Once you find that person I would think that if they're doing a decent job they would check your system for compliance and advise you.

One of the reasons Eskom will want to replace your meter is so that you can sell back to the grid. To do that you need a meter that can differentiate what you sell from what you buy and thus allow accurate billing.

@Marcodp , I am an installer in Cape Town, I can assist you and also put you in touch with an engineer who can do the Eskom registration, please message me or call me on 079-289-7355.

Thanks Bobster, the question was more around the Eskom requirements (I already have a CoC) but there are other requirements posted by Eskom- I eventually got hold of what I understand is the correct info (form) which needs to be signed by a ECSA professional (PrEng or PrTech) registered person (see attachments below) - this is on top of the CoC from what I understand.

Regarding the meter, I understand the thinking (to be able to feed back into the grid/sell excess back to Eskom), but what if a person does not want to do this / will never want to do this - does one have a choice or is it set in stone that a person must just pay the fees (R3.5 to R4.8k) and get a new meter and so be it? - I currently have no intention to sell excess back to Eskom and do not need/want a new meter so the thinking is why then must a person pay R5K for something they do not need or want (that is what a CT coil is for)

But that said, thanks for the insights - all input is always appreciated.

Distribution

Small Scale Embedded Generators - Distribution

Our shift towards more integrated electricity systems and new energy solutions has seen a growing number of consumers generating and distributing their own

Compliance-Certificated-report-from-Customer-REV-AprilFinal.pdf 20220401-Eskom-Application-Form-for-SSEGAprilFinal.pdf 20240703-SSEG-Application-process.docx.pdf

This does not apply for pure off grid systems as far as i know.

"Generators are exempt from licensing and registration with NERSA, if it

• is utilised as a back-up source of electricity, during power interruptions.

• that is not grid tied (no point of connection to the grid), irrespective of size.

Edited July 16, 2025Jul 16 by zsde

2 hours ago, Marcodp said:

Regarding the meter, I understand the thinking (to be able to feed back into the grid/sell excess back to Eskom), but what if a person does not want to do this / will never want to do this - does one have a choice or is it set in stone that a person must just pay the fees (R3.5 to R4.8k) and get a new meter and so be it? - I currently have no intention to sell excess back to Eskom and do not need/want a new meter so the thinking is why then must a person pay R5K for something they do not need or want (that is what a CT coil is for)

I have no intention of exporting. The reality is that my system does export a small amount (< 0.5kWh) each day. This may be effecting my meter, but I don't worry about that because the alternatives are going to cost me a lot more.

But exporting is just a couple of taps on an app away. My system doesn't export right now, and didn't when the guys from City Power inspected (I don't know if they tested for this or just took the engineer's word for it). But it COULD. So IDK, what would I do about that? Well... one solution would be a meter that trips when I try to export and so cuts the grid connection. I think that's what will happen right now if I tried to seriously export - but I don't want to find out the hard way. The other possibility is that the meter will allow me to export but will bill me for it. There are ways that a utility can make it painful for folks who say they have no intention of exporting whilst crossing their fingers behind their back.

Having typed all that, I think I am agreeing with you.

@Marcodp NB! In my case the registration is for an inverter (identified by serial number, make & model) supplying a specified stand. IE it is non-transferable. If I move and I take the equipment with me then I can't take the registration with me. Really the registration is for an installation at a certain physical location. I would have to install at the new address and register from scratch.

OTOH if I sell the house as is, the new owner would get a legal, certified system with a letter confirming the registration. They would not have to worry about registration or about being caught in an unregistered state. Selling point? IDK.

Or that's how it is for City Power customers. You might want to get the details of this.

South Africans with solar panels can tell Eskom to take a hike


Eskom was effectively launching an “attack” on people generating their own electricity with its onerous requirements and alleged the utility could have an ulterior motive.

“The dark side of this argument is that Eskom wants its hands on people’s data — potentially for solar tariffs in the future,”

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/602869-south-africans-with-solar-panels-can-tell-eskom-to-take-a-hike.html

5 hours ago, zsde said:

Eskom was effectively launching an “attack” on people generating their own electricity with its onerous requirements and alleged the utility could have an ulterior motive.

I'm not convinced by Afriforum's argument. I hope that people will check properly and think this through. If you get it wrong it's your butt on the line, not Afriforum's.

What do we do when we get solar? We get a system that generates power and is connected to the grid. Whoever supplies you with electricity has an interest certainly at a technical level. If you have no connection to the grid then they don't have that interest. Most of us play it both ways and retain the grid connection.

So there is a need for inspection & registration.

My system is registered with City Power, who provide my grid connection. The whole process, including the drawings and the sign off by an engineer cost me just over 5 grand.

I don't doubt that some people did pay twenty grand an up. You need an engineer who can hear the cash register ringing, and/or some failure to meet the standards and so you have to add some components or earthing or, in my case, warning signage. If your system is properly installed and you hook up with a reasonable engineer you need not pay that much.

We each need to make our own decision about registration, but we need to be properly informed. I think if we try & fight this on legal grounds we will find that the law wins. And Afriforum will not help pay your bills.

3 hours ago, Bobster. said:

I'm not convinced by Afriforum's argument. I hope that people will check properly and think this through. If you get it wrong it's your butt on the line, not Afriforum's.

What do we do when we get solar? We get a system that generates power and is connected to the grid. Whoever supplies you with electricity has an interest certainly at a technical level. If you have no connection to the grid then they don't have that interest. Most of us play it both ways and retain the grid connection.

So there is a need for inspection & registration.

My system is registered with City Power, who provide my grid connection. The whole process, including the drawings and the sign off by an engineer cost me just over 5 grand.

I don't doubt that some people did pay twenty grand an up. You need an engineer who can hear the cash register ringing, and/or some failure to meet the standards and so you have to add some components or earthing or, in my case, warning signage. If your system is properly installed and you hook up with a reasonable engineer you need not pay that much.

We each need to make our own decision about registration, but we need to be properly informed. I think if we try & fight this on legal grounds we will find that the law wins. And Afriforum will not help pay your bills.

Do I read that it's fine for Eskom to make their new laws against what is currently in place Does Chris Yelland not also agree that it's not the law to have to do what the supply authority insists on.

This to me is not going to end well as more people that can will just go off the grid. Someone on a spiral of no return . Could it follow just a slower route that what SAPO went on years ago? Reducing your income stream as part of your business plan.

3 hours ago, Bobster. said:

I'm not convinced by Afriforum's argument. I hope that people will check properly and think this through. If you get it wrong it's your butt on the line, not Afriforum's.

What do we do when we get solar? We get a system that generates power and is connected to the grid. Whoever supplies you with electricity has an interest certainly at a technical level. If you have no connection to the grid then they don't have that interest. Most of us play it both ways and retain the grid connection.

So there is a need for inspection & registration.

My system is registered with City Power, who provide my grid connection. The whole process, including the drawings and the sign off by an engineer cost me just over 5 grand.

I don't doubt that some people did pay twenty grand an up. You need an engineer who can hear the cash register ringing, and/or some failure to meet the standards and so you have to add some components or earthing or, in my case, warning signage. If your system is properly installed and you hook up with a reasonable engineer you need not pay that much.

We each need to make our own decision about registration, but we need to be properly informed. I think if we try & fight this on legal grounds we will find that the law wins. And Afriforum will not help pay your bills.

I think that some aspects of what Eskom is doing might be contestable, but that doesn't mean that the basic requirement to have a compliant system, and a register of those systems, is wrong.

There's some misdirection here. Eskom are not charging anybody 20k to 50k. That's what some engineers are charging. It might also include the cost of bringing the system up to compliance.

And word games too, I think. They're comparing Eskom to COCT. Well COCT require drawings and a sign off from an engineeer. I don't see a real difference here.

The real bone of contention here is that Eskom are going to get our "data" and use that to formulate some new tariff. Classic FUD.

So where does that leave us? Simply refuse to register? Or agitate for more reasonable regulations?

Tellingly the litigious Afriforum are not taking this to court even though they say the case is clear. Why not? You'd think it'd be a big PR coup for them when Eskom have to back down.

Edited July 19, 2025Jul 19 by Bobster.

I'll add that my concern here is for the members of this forum. People here have been very helpful to me and to others. We have good people here and a generous spirit. I would not be happy to see somebody here - or even a casual reader - getting into hot water because of advice rehashed from a YouTube clip. I hope that they all do some homework and make an informed decision.