Eskom Extends Solar Registration Fee Waiver for Systems Up to 50 kVA Until Further Notice

Eskom extended the waiver of registration-related charges for qualifying customer-owned solar installations of up to 50 kVA connected directly to its distribution network. The waiver was originally scheduled to end on September 30, 2026, and will now remain in effect until further notice.

The extension is intended to give households and small customers additional time to register their grid-connected rooftop solar systems without facing registration-related charges. Eskom said the measure supports the safe and efficient integration of customer-owned generation into the electricity network.

The fee waiver does not remove the requirement for qualifying grid-connected generation facilities to be registered. According to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), grid-connected embedded generation systems of 100 kW or less must be registered with the relevant licensed distributor. Systems larger than 100 kW must be registered directly with Nersa. Solar systems that have no connection to the electricity grid are exempt from the registration requirement.

Registration gives the distributor information about the location, technology and capacity of generation facilities connected to its network. A Certificate of Compliance confirms that a solar installation meets electrical safety requirements.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse welcomed Eskom's decision to extend the fee waiver. The organisation argues that compliant behind-the-meter systems that do not export electricity should not necessarily require separate registration when they already have a valid electrical Certificate of Compliance.