Good news for households looking to get new solar installations
· Citizen
Eskom has extended its waiver of registration‑related charges for small‑scale solar installations, giving residential customers more time to register their grid‑tied systems without incurring costs.
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The waiver, which applies to customer‑owned generation systems of up to 50kVA connected directly to Eskom’s distribution network, will remain in effect until further notice.
Extension
Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the extension reflects Eskom’s commitment to supporting the safe integration of rooftop solar into the national grid.
“We want customers to know that registration is not about discouraging solar adoption – it is about ensuring safety, reliability, and proper integration into the grid. By waiving registration‑related charges, Eskom is making compliance clear, accessible, and affordable,” Mokwena explained.
Cost
She emphasised that registration remains a regulatory requirement under the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006, but the waiver removes cost barriers for Eskom‑direct customers.
“Our focus is to assist customers with registering qualifying installations as simply as possible, while protecting the safety of customers, contractors, employees and the broader electricity network,” Mokwena said.
The waiver does not apply to customers supplied by municipalities, who must comply with their local redistributor’s requirements.
Why registration matters
Eskom’s review of 20 international electricity markets found that registration or approval of customer‑owned generation is standard practice worldwide, supporting grid stability, worker safety, and system planning.
The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has also reaffirmed that registration is critical for responsible solar adoption.
Registration
According to Eskom, registration gives distributors installation-specific information needed for network planning, voltage management, equipment protection, fault analysis, and the safety of employees working on the grid.
A Certificate of Compliance (CoC) confirms electrical safety, while registration ensures Eskom knows where and how systems are connected.
Eskom’s approach
Mokwena said Eskom’s immediate priority is education and assistance.
“We prefer to provide customers with clear information and a reasonable opportunity to register qualifying installations.
“This extension is about giving households time to regularise their systems without financial penalties, while laying the foundation for smart metering, appropriate tariffs, and future flexibility services,” she added.
Eligible customers can begin the process through Eskom’s Small‑Scale Embedded Generation registration platform.
U-turn
In February this year, Eskom reversed its stance on imposing fines on customers who had not registered their solar installations with the utility by the end of March 2026.
The decision to halt fines followed heavy criticism from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) over the bulk power utility’s threat to disconnect customers or impose fines.
Eskom previously relaxed rules to accept a standard electrical COC via registered electricians rather than demanding costly engineer sign-offs