Solar Registration Made Easier: Eskom Simplifies Compliance and Extends Cost Relief for Home Solar Systems

2025-10-21

Eskom has announced significant changes to its small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) registration process, making it easier and more affordable for South Africans with home solar systems to comply with national regulations.

Key Changes to Solar Compliance Requirements

Effective from October 1, 2025, residential customers can now have their solar systems certified by a Department of Labour-registered electrician rather than requiring an Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) professional engineer. This change comes after extensive consultation with industry stakeholders and is expected to substantially reduce compliance costs for homeowners.

"Eskom recognises that many South Africans are eager to participate in the clean energy transition. Our goal is to make it as simple, safe, and cost-effective as possible for customers to connect legally, while ensuring the stability and safety of the national grid," said Agnes Mlambo, Eskom's Acting Group Executive for Distribution.

Cost Relief Extended Until March 2026

In addition to simplifying the technical requirements, Eskom has extended several cost-saving measures for SSEG customers:

• No registration or connection fees for households with solar systems up to 50kVA until March 2026
• Exemption from smart meter installation fees for residential systems
• Continued reduced connection charges for non-residential SSEG customers

These changes could save homeowners more than R9,000 on compliance costs for a typical 16kVA rooftop solar system, making renewable energy adoption more accessible to South African households.

Who Needs to Register?

According to NERSA regulations, all businesses and households with embedded generation systems under 100kVA must register with Eskom, even if they don't export electricity to the grid. The only exemption is for completely off-grid systems that operate independently of Eskom's network.

The utility has emphasized that registration is not merely a regulatory requirement but also positions customers to benefit from future energy incentives, including demand response programs and export tariffs.

Simplified Compliance Process

The new compliance process requires just two main documents:

1. A valid Certificate of Compliance
2. A basic EGI (Embedded Generation Installation) test report signed by a registered electrician

The Department of Labour registered persons who can now sign off on residential systems include Installation Electricians and Master Installation Electricians, though single-phase testers are specifically excluded.

Outlook

These changes represent a significant step toward integrating more renewable energy into South Africa's electricity mix. By reducing bureaucratic and financial barriers to registration, Eskom is enabling wider participation in distributed generation while maintaining safety standards.

The utility has indicated it continues to work on solutions for prepaid connections, suggesting further improvements may be forthcoming. Customers who register their systems will likely be better positioned to benefit from future developments in energy export compensation and flexible tariff structures.

While these changes address important compliance issues, they come at a time when South Africans are increasingly turning to alternative energy sources following years of loadshedding challenges. The simplified process may help bring many currently unregistered systems into regulatory compliance.

Key Terms Explained

• Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG): Generation systems (like solar panels) installed by customers on their premises, typically connected to the electricity grid.
• NERSA: The National Energy Regulator of South Africa, responsible for regulating the electricity sector and establishing compliance requirements.
• kVA: Kilovolt-ampere, a unit of apparent power. A 16kVA system can typically power most appliances in an average-sized home.
• ECSA: Engineering Council of South Africa, the professional body that previously needed to certify residential solar installations.
• DoL registered person: An electrician registered with the Department of Labour who is now authorized to sign off on residential solar installations.
• Certificate of Compliance: A mandatory safety document that certifies an electrical installation meets required standards.
• Homeflex tariff: An Eskom tariff structure that provides credits for energy exported back to the grid from residential solar systems.