- Eskom has streamlined the compliance and registration process for customers who generate their own electricity through small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems, such as rooftop solar panels – and made it cheaper.
The move aims to make it easier, safer, and more affordable for households and small businesses to connect legally to the national grid, in line with requirements set by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).
The power utility has been developing the SSEG framework since 2015 in collaboration with industry stakeholders, including the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA), the Association for Municipal Electricity Utilities (AMEU), and the National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Standing Committee.
The new framework, finalised in September and effective from 1 October 2025, introduces significant changes to simplify compliance. Eskom’s residential customers may now have their systems signed off by a Department of Labour (DoL)-registered person — excluding single-phase testers — instead of requiring approval from an Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)-registered professional. This adjustment follows a review of compliance and safety standards and a detailed due diligence process, pending updates to SABS regulations.
“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.
“We encourage customers to come forward and register their systems to meet NERSA’s legal requirements. Registration not only ensures compliance and safety but also positions customers to benefit from future programmes that reward clean energy generation,” she added.
Under NERSA regulations, all households and businesses with embedded generation systems of less than 100kVA, including solar PV systems, must register with Eskom or their relevant electricity licensee — even if they do not export power to the grid. Fully off-grid customers, however, are exempt, provided their systems operate independently of Eskom’s network.
As a licensed electricity distributor, Eskom is responsible for ensuring that all customer connections comply with national technical codes, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
Background and Industry Alignment
Before 2019, only medium-voltage customers (above 1,000 volts) were permitted to operate embedded generators in parallel with Eskom’s network. In April 2020, this was expanded to include low-voltage customers, opening the door for residential and small-business users to install SSEG systems.
In the absence of formal low-voltage regulations, the industry has relied on the NRS097 standards to guide safe and compliant installations. Initially, Eskom required SSEG systems to be signed off by ECSA-registered professionals — a process that some homeowners found prohibitively expensive due to variable professional fees.
Simplified Compliance and Cost Relief
Responding to customer feedback about the complexity and cost of the previous process, Eskom has introduced several new measures to reduce barriers to participation:
- No registration or connection fees for households with solar systems up to 50kVA until March 2026.
- Faster sign-off process: residential systems can now be certified by a DoL- registered person (installation or master installation electricians).
- Simplified documentation: only a valid Certificate of Compliance and a basic Embedded Generation Interface (EGI) test report are required.
These changes can save customers more than R9,000 on connection costs for a typical 16kVA rooftop solar installation. Households with systems under 50kVA remain exempt from smart meter and registration fees. Non-residential customers also continue to benefit from last year’s reduced connection charges.
Future Benefits for Registered Customers
Registered SSEG customers will be well-positioned to take advantage of future tariff structures that reward energy efficiency and flexibility. These include demand response programmes that offer lower tariffs for shifting electricity use to off-peak periods.
Those who export power to the grid already benefit from Eskom’s Homeflex tariff, approved by NERSA, which provides credits for exported electricity — improving the financial return on solar investments.
Commitment to Safe, Legal Integration
Eskom continues to urge all SSEG users to register their systems to ensure safety, regulatory compliance, and access to future incentives. The utility says it remains committed to supporting South Africa’s energy transition by enabling the safe, affordable, and compliant integration of small-scale renewable systems — including ongoing efforts to develop solutions for prepaid customers — while maintaining the reliability of the national grid.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
