By Antoinette Slabbert.
After facing considerable criticism, Eskom has relented on the onerous and costly requirements for registering small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) – primarily rooftop solar – within its distribution areas.
It will no longer need signoff by a professional engineer. A certificate of compliance – already required for all electrical installations – can be issued by any suitably qualified electrician registered with the Department of Labour.
The earlier requirement that such systems had to be inspected and approved by a professional engineer was said to add approximately R30 000 to the cost of registration.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) met officials from Eskom’s distribution division in August about the registration and compliance requirements for such systems, which it described as “irrational, unfair, anti-poor and discriminatory against households and businesses who have taken action or intend to take action to reduce their energy consumption from the grid”.
Thereafter, Outa advised homeowners and businesses with low-voltage SSEG systems of less than 100kW to hold off on registering their systems with Eskom or any municipality.
It stated that the mandatory SABS Code of Practice for low-voltage electrical installations is being amended to cover both standby and grid-tied solar PV and battery storage systems (BESS), which form the majority of residential systems installed.
“The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, together with the associated Electrical Installation Regulations (EIR) and the referenced mandatory standard SANS 10142-1, will therefore provide all the necessary technical, safety, compliance and enforcement regulations for solar PV and BES systems connected behind-the-meter on the premises of residential customers.”
According to Outa there was no need to get a professional engineer’s approval.
The civil rights movement, as well as AfriForum, questioned Eskom’s authority to set and enforce such requirements.
The utility announced on Tuesday night that it has “simplified the compliance and registration process “for SSEG customers.
Eskom said it has been working on the SSEG framework since 2015 with industry stakeholders, including the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (Sapvia), the Association for Municipal Electricity Distributors (AMEU), National Rationalised Specifications (NRS) Standing Committee, IPP conferences, Eskom IPP stakeholder meetings, and has developed a more straightforward and more affordable solution for customers that still maintains a stringent focus on safety.
“The major change, finalised last month and effective from 1 October 2025, is that Eskom’s residential customers may now have their systems signed off by a Department of Labour (DoL)–registered person (excluding single-phase testers).”
Eskom confirmed that signoff by a professional engineer is no longer required. “This follows a review of compliance and safety requirements as well as a stringent due diligence process, pending the expected changes by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), it said.
Eskom emphasised that all businesses and households with embedded generation systems of less than 100kVA, including solar PV systems, are required to register with Eskom even if they do not export electricity to the grid. Only those that are not connected to the grid are exempted.
If situated in a municipal distribution area, the registration must be done with the municipality.
To encourage consumers to move to clean energy, Eskom committed to the following:
- No registration or connection fees are applicable for households with solar systems up to 50kVA until March 2026.
- Faster signoff process: Residential systems can now be certified by a Department of Labour-registered person (installation electricians and master installation electricians), excluding single-phase testers.
- Clear, simpler requirements: a valid Certificate of Compliance and a basic EGI test report (to be signed off by a registered person).
“This means customers can save over R9 000 on connection costs for a typical 16kVA rooftop solar system. Households with solar PV systems up to 50kVA continue to be exempt from registration fees and installation of smart meter fees,” Eskom said.
Non-residential SSEG customers will continue to benefit from the previous year’s connection charges, ensuring continued cost savings.