Eskom gives rooftop solar owners more time to register without paying a fee

Eskom, the South African power utility, has extended a waiver allowing qualifying rooftop solar owners to register their solar systems without paying a fee. This waiver applies to customer-owned generation systems up to 50kVA directly connected to Eskom's grid. Eskom announced the extension on Wednesday, stating that it supports the growth of residential solar and greater customer participation in the energy transition.

The waiver removes registration-related charges but does not change the requirement for these systems to be registered. Junaid Munshi, Eskom's Group Executive for Distribution, explained that registration is a standard feature for modern electricity systems as more customer-owned generation is integrated into the network. This registration process enables safe and efficient integration of customer-owned generation into shared networks, paving the way for smart metering, appropriate tariffs, and future flexibility services.

The waiver is available only to Eskom-supplied customers, while those supplied by municipalities should check local requirements and charges. Eskom's review of international markets revealed that grid-connected solar systems are typically required to be registered, managed for network safety, power quality, and system planning. In South Africa, the requirement is based on the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006 and applicable notices.

Installations up to 100kW connected to the grid must be registered with the relevant distributor, while those above 100kW must be registered directly with NERSA. Off-grid systems are exempt from registration. Eskom clarified that registration is separate from a Certificate of Compliance, which deals with electrical safety but provides information about the generation system's location, technology, and capacity.