Eskom warning to South Africans with solar panels on their roof

Eskom said households and businesses with grid-tied solar installations must register them soon or face significant charges.

The power utility explained that all installations that operate alongside Eskom’s supply, even those not exporting power back into the grid, must be registered.

Eskom explained that it needs to ensure that all connections comply with the required codes, standards, and guidelines set by NERSA.

“Adhering to these technical standards is crucial for maintaining network security, ensuring the safety of field personnel, and protecting the public,” it said.

It said that with more solar installations pushing energy onto the grid, safety has become a critical focus for both performance and the staff working on it.

“We remain committed to the seamless integration of Small-Scale Embedded Generators into our network while ensuring adherence to all regulatory and safety guidelines,” it said.

Eskom said the process requires the registration of all grid-tied installations following the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) requirements.

“Since 2020, we have actively engaged with customers and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the importance of registering solar installations,” it said.

It added that its bill inserts from May 2021 included a ‘Connect’ publication titled ‘Information on Small Scale Embedded Generation’.

Since then, Eskom has held provincial customer engagements with associations, including SAPVIA, SAPOA, and AgriSA, and driven media campaigns.

To further encourage registration and compliance, Eskom intensified its campaign in 2023 to encourage those with solar panels to register.

On Tuesday, 11 February 2025, Eskom said solar installations up to 50kW may qualify for an exemption from legislated registration-related fees until March 2026.

Residential customers with unregistered solar installations could avoid registration-related fees by registering before March 2026.

After this deadline, standard charges will apply for households and businesses which register installations up to 50kW.

The registration-related fees for solar installations include application charges, tariff conversions, and connection fees.

Municipal-supplied customers are required to engage with their local network providers for the applicable process and requirements.

Generators that operate entirely off-grid and are not connected to Eskom’s electricity network are not required to register.

However, owners must provide proof that their systems function independently of Eskom’s supply.

Eskom argued that there are many benefits to households and businesses in registering their solar installations.

It includes earning money by selling surplus energy to Eskom via net billing, store excess power within the utility framework, and reducing their electricity costs.